E n d e a r - m e
by VoltaireZamora
Summary: Sakura Haruno, an age-defying jutsu gone wrong, and the Akatsuki.
1. P a y m e n t

I do not own Naruto – VZ

* * *

"This….is….so…stupid." An irritated medic-nin complained from somewhere deep inside the woods.

The weather was against her today, because it was raining quite heavily. She sighed, long and deep.

Sakura didn't understand why her shishou requested (more like demanded) she deliver a scroll to her close friend somewhere in rain country. The fact that her sensei had assigned her, such a simple mission was beyond her. Although her sensei did stress how important the scrolls she now had in her possession.

But still!

Not to sound conceited or anything, but Sakura believed she was meant for more difficult and life threating missions. Her skills were a testament to that.

The pinkette huffed as she trekked through the muddy ground.

"Unbelievable." She muttered darkly. Here she was, trudging through the cold when she could be at home enjoying the comfort of her warm bed.

Sakura was so concentrated on how to steal her shishou' s stash of alcohol; she failed to notice a chakra presence a few meters behind her.

Only when a kunai embedded itself onto a tree inches from the medic-nin' s head, she realized a rouge-nin was attempting an assassination…on her to be precise.

Suddenly, her instincts and senses were clear and ready for a battle. In less than a second, Sakura pulled the kunai that was deeply ingrained into the bark of the tree. After which, she sent an exploding tag towards the ninja.

BOOM

Although the bomb didn't conflict much damage to the enemy, it did create a large amount of smoke. The medic-nin took this opportunity to flee. And with the grace and skill, only an experienced kunoichi would know, She executed a flawless backflip and commanded small amounts of chakra to the soles of her feet while doing so. Once that was done, the pinkette flew to the tree branches, effectively hiding her body from the rouge-nin' s line of vision.

Sakura watched as the ninja searched for her.

Black, beady eyes looked everywhere.

She thought she was safe, until the rouge-nin appeared out of nowhere and sliced her cheek with another kunai.

"What do you want?" She whispered with barely concealed anger.

"The scroll." He said simply.

Sakura rolled her bright, green eyes, Of course….She thought dryly.

"What's makes this scroll so valuable?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, little girl?" He mocked.

Sakura couldn't control her anger anymore, and evidently…neither could he.

Because his hands were flipping through many seals, so many Sakura failed to count.

This wasn't good , she could already feel his chakra beginning to grow in strength and size.

The konoha-nin flipped and jumped several branches away from the man.

Whatever the rouge-nin was planning, if Sakura didn't stop it, there was a very big chance she could lose the scrolls. Obviously, she can't allow that to happen.

Unfortunately, the pinkette knew her monstrous strength wasn't going to be of any help to her in this situation. Yes, blowing up the ground can subdue the enemy. But doing so when there is a village within the vicinity? Bad idea. Besides, Sakura was lacking in chakra reserves anyway. The long hours walking in the cold, hard rain has taken it's toll on her.

Then it hit her like a ton of bricks.

The scrolls!

The solution to her rouge-nin problem was right in her rucksack.

As she started opening the scroll, Sakura mentally apologized to her shishou.

Her fingers quickly did the indicated hand seals on the crisp old pages.

She could feel his chakra directed at her.

Whatever technique this was, it's definitely strong.

Sakura sent out a silent prayer to Kami, hoping she would make it out of this alive.

She let out her chakra with a battle cry, just as her enemy let loose his extremely powerful jutsu.

A loud explosion.

A burst of light.

Then complete and utter silence.

* * *

Several pairs of eyes looked upwards, where the sudden burst of sound had come from.

They swiveled back to their leader, who was sitting comfortably in a large chair at the end of the dark room.

"Kisame and Itachi, survey the area above the base. Kill anyone who pose a threat to the organization."

Both men nodded in understanding.

* * *

The last thing both Akatsuki members expected to see was an enormous crater in the middle of the woods.

Several trees were blown away, landing in heaps of bark and branches around the area. Piles of rock and ground were everywhere. Accompanied by the rain that fell heavily from the sky, the setting resembled a battlefield.

Kisame whistled at the scene before them.

"Looks like we missed a pretty good fight." He stated in his usual gruff voice.

His partner merely nodded in response.

"Ugh…" A small groan from inside the large pit in the ground alerted the two missing-nins.

Kisame readied his sword while Itachi activated his sharigan.

They both stalked towards the sound.

"You have got to be kidding me." The shark man said incredulously.

The Uchiha stayed silent, trying to assess the situation.

Inside all the rocks and piles of dirt and some smoke, lay a girl.

A very young girl, she couldn't be more than ten years old, maybe even younger.

The long vivid pink hair was quite peculiar as well.

The child looked like she was sleeping soundly, seemingly unaware of her surroundings. Surroundings that a kid should not be around , let alone napping in.

"So, do we kill her? Leave her for the animals?" The mist-nin said, slightly upset at the whole picture.

"….She is far from a threat to the Akatsuki, there is no need for her to die…..Assuming she is still alive."

Itachi said softly.

"Leader would want to see her for himself."

"Yeah, I doubt he'll believe us."

The Uchiha started walking away, towards the secret entrance to their underground base.

Kisame got the message. Soon, he was carrying the little girl in his arms. He noted how girly and fragile she looked, being carried around in his huge muscled arms.

He felt a stab of pity for the poor girl, yet also an underlying tone of respect.

"S'alright kid, if you were tough enough to withstand all that back there…You're strong enough to survive with us." He whispered to the unconscious girl he was carrying.

Little did he know, she heard every word both men had said.

* * *

Sakura could recall each time she felt a strong sense of fear or anxiety. Especially whenever she was fighting with an enemy. But all those times added up together could not measure up to the absolute dread she felt right now.

Sakura recognized those two chakra signatures in the woods, it was Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigako Kisame, members of a terrifying group commonly known as the Akatsuki. Yes, she felt fear for her own life. But more so for her friends. Especially Naruto. Were they still after the Kyuubi? What if they planned to use her as ransom.

She hoped not. Sakura knew how her teammate would willingly sacrifice his life for hers.

The pinkette was being taken into a dark room. She knew this because of the lack light and the click of a door being closed.

She could feel herself gently laid down onto a hard surface.

A table? The ground perhaps?

Well, it was much better than the rubble she used as pillows in the ground.

It was quiet for a while.

"Will someone please explain to me, why there is a child in my base?" A commanding yet curious voice sliced through the heavy silence.

A child? Sakura inwardly fumed at the cocky voice. She was a grown woman! Sure she wasn't as well developed as Ino-pig or Hinata-chan in the chest area. But she wasn't totally flat she regained all her chakra, she would give him a kick so hard in his nether regions…He could say goodbye to the possibility of having children. Inner laughed maniacally at Sakura' s ingenious plan of revenge.

A hasty cough was heard, followed by a gruff voice.

"We found her lying in a crater, which was most likely the reason for the noise earlier, leader."

Leader? So he must be Pein. Oh Kami….that must mean all the members of Akatsuki are present.

"I see. But why bring her here?"

"The crater was charka inflicted. From what I've observed, this girl's chakra is similar to that of the traces around the area."

"Are you saying she is the cause of this?" Pein sounded surprised.

"Yes, I am."

Again, silence.

"Interesting…"

"Do you have something to share Sasori?"

Sasori?! He was still alive? But how? Thoughts and questions raced through Sakura's mind so fast that it was beginning to hurt.

"The girl bares an uncanny likeness to the Hokage's apprentice."

"She does look like the chick who killed Sasori-danna."

"Deidara, Sakura Haruno is past the stages of adolescence. The child before us is cannot be her."

Pein said, although doubt laced his tone.

If Sakura was confused before, she was completely and utterly baffled now. Had the jutsu she performed changed her appearance? From what she's heard, she still has her famous pink hair.

"Tobi thinks the girl could be her younger sister!" An enthusiastic voice contrasted to the dark atmosphere of the room.

Younger? What kind of jutsu made someone look younger?

…..

No….

No no no no no no no…

Kami didn't hate her this much.

Sakura wanted scream at the top of her lungs.

Her shishou had sent her apprentice, to deliver her age defying jutsu!

And the medic-nin had used it to defend herself from of the rouge-nin.

Oh….no….

The two attacks must've clashed and melded together. Forming some kind of modified jutsu.

Causing Sakura to end up looking like a…..(from what the Akatsuki have called her)…..child.

The conversation did not stop, even if she did stop listening for a while.

"It's a possibility, although her chakra signature is the same from when we last fought." Sasori stated.

"A jutsu then?" The leader of Akatsuki asked.

"She does have a scroll with her, yeah."

Kisame didn't know how he missed it, but there was a scroll with the little girl. Who was clutching the object like how a child would with a beloved toy.

Sakura was torn. Either she continue to play dead and let them take her shishou' s scroll, or she protect it, but blow her cover in the process.

Oh to hell with it, her shishou was going to punish her enough for even using her most prized jutsu. Let alone let it fall into enemy hands.

With her last remaining strength, she did a back flip and thrust her tiny body into the air. As she did so, her hands formed seals. Suddenly, there were three Sakura' s all with scrolls. The three children landed gracefully. But not before commanding the last drop of her chakra to her fists and punching the concrete ground.

Smoke filled the once clean air.

The medic-nin used this to her advantage.

Just as she touched the knob of the door that led to her freedom, her body stilled.

What?

"It's rude to leave without greeting your elders isn't it? Haruno-san."

She could feel his strings slightly tightening around her limbs it didn't hurt much. But the slight pain was enough to dissolve her clones.

"Sasori." Sakura spat out with as much venom as a ten year old could muster.

"I'm touched you still remember my name." He smirked.

Smirked! The puppet master actually had the gall to act so cocky and arrogant. As if she hadn't defeated him on the battlefield. But then again, she was trapped inside a child' s body. So it did limit her chakra usage and stamina.

Viridian eyes only glared at him.

"Bring her here Sasori."

Sakura tore her angry eyes away from the red head. Only to meet with a pair of grey ringed eyes.

Against Sakura' s wishes, her own body betrayed her.

She hated being controlled like this, she loathed the strings that held her captive.

Step by step, she was getting closer to the leader of Akatsuki.

"You've destroyed my office, little girl." He only muttered.

Evidently, Sasori allowed her head a bit of movement. Because she was able to turn around and survey the damage she caused earlier.

"Wow…."

The room looked like a cyclone had just blown over.

"Indeed…."

Insert awkward silence here.

"So it's true, from what you've just displayed for us. You are the Hokage' s apprentice."

Sakura kept silent.

"So are you the Kyuubi container's friend?"

As efficient and deadly Sasori' s strings were, he couldn't force her to talk.

"As well as one of the students of the famous copy-nin?"

Pein received no answer.

"I do not wish to torture a child, especially one as pretty as you." A hand reached out to place a pink strand of hair behind her ear.

Sakura reddened.

"I am not a child." She gritted out.

The leader of Akatsuki stayed silent, contemplating her words.

"Keep her in a spare room." He ordered his followers.

"You will be our prisoner from now on, little girl."

The pinkette' s eyes widened.

"Not only that, but you will be Akatsuki' s personal medic."

Her jaw went slack.

"And you will heal our organization's members without complaint."

She started to feel faint.

"In exchange, I will allow you to live."

"B-but why do I have to-"

Pein cut her off with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"This is payment, for ruining my office."

Sakura' s jaw literally dropped.

"You are dismissed." The pierced man turned away from her and focused on his paperwork instead.

With that, the strings pulled her and she was suddenly out the door and in a hallway.

"Welcome to Akatsuki, Haruno-san." The puppeteer said, whilst leading her into the heart of one of the most feared group of ninjas the shinobi world has ever known.

* * *

Hehe, just another idea I was playing around with in my head. I just had to write it down before I forgot!

Anyways, hope you like - VZ


	2. P l a n s - g o n e - w r o n g

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

"You have to eat sometime kid, you can't just starve yourself." Kisame advised the pinkette who was sulking in her lacked windows and only had a bed, no other furniture at all. It only made the space feel emptier than it already was.

"Watch me."

Yes, the threat was filled with dislike and venom. But due to her 'condition'….Her words came out sounding cute and adorable. Much like a pouting child.

"I am, and so far….you're not looking too good." Was his last comment before he took off. Shutting the door and leaving yet another tray brimming with hot and tasty food.

It's been an entire week since she has been captured by Akatsuki.

And every day and night, the mist-nin would bring her meal. Although, she refused to even take a single bite of the food. Why?

Well, It was her own form of rebellion against the most feared group in the shinobi world.

The less she ate, the weaker she got, and her chakra reserves will remain dry and empty.

Like hell Sakura was going to heal Akatsuki' s members!

No matter how long they would torture her (not that they have), no matter how many threats they send her way. (Which were a lot) Hell would have frozen over, the moment she would willingly mend the wounds of these criminals.

Sakura did try to piece together an escape plan, several actually. Unfortunately, they all backfired miserably.

* * *

Flashback

The handle of a door was just a simple piece of metal. Easily opened, with just the right amount of precision and knowledge to operate the gears inside the knob.

And so, she stayed there, twisting and turning her slim fingers. Trying to manipulate the needle around the metal.

It was unnerving, how different her body is. Her height was now reduced to less than four feet. But at least she could still move as efficiently as before. Her body can still move the same way, with grace and stealth. The only downside was her height and voice.

A strand of pink fell over her eyes.

And her hair!

It was so long again. Whenever she looked at it, it seemed like there was a waterfall of pink flowing down her back. On the plus side, She could still use her chakra and she still had her inhuman strength.

Click.

"Yes!" She inwardly screamed to herself.

The senbon needle fell from her nimble fingers and dropped to the cold, concrete floor.

Sakura had finally picked the lock of the door, which now swung open.

She couldn't believe her luck, it has only been her second day at the underground Akatsuki base and here she was, so close to freedom!

And so, Sakura used her stealth and experience as a kunoichi to safely make her way past many winding hallways and corridors without being seen.

Yes, this plan was absolutely full-proof…if it wasn't for the fact that she was now lost.

Inner was screaming with rage, while Sakura merely huffed impatiently.

The desire to leave and breath fresh air was so strong, she needed to get out of here.

The pinkette missed her home and wanted nothing more than to return to it.

As she was in the middle of executing a rather brilliant plan (close her eyes, spin around then point to a hallway and walk.) she bumped into the worst possible person she could at the moment.

He looked down on her and sneered.

"Hey! Watch where you're going yeah!"

"Sorry, geez…." She said, backing up and giving him space.

"Whatever, just don't do it again twerp."

A vein started to throb above a delicate pink brow.

"Sure, blondie." Sakura said condescendingly.

"What did you call me?" Deidara' s eye started twitching.

"Are you going deaf now? I said 'sure blondie'" the ten year old said slowly, as if speaking to a child.

Oh the irony.

"That's it! I'm going to blow you into bits!" Suddenly, Sakura was faced with three mouths, each grinning with madness.

"Go ahead, try." The pinkette said bravely.

Although she looked like a helpless child, she was far from one.

And so, out of pure irritation and maybe a bit of stupidity, she jumped and yanked his blonde ponytail. Effectively bring him down to her level. This of course, caused the male to yelp in pain. Sakura stood on her toes so that she could look him straight in the eye.

Sky blue clashed with forest green.

The medic-nin could feel the anger and adrenaline pumping through her veins. Yes, she was tired and exhausted. The last thing she needed right now was a cocky blonde threating to throw bombs of chakra infused clay at her. She wasn't naïve, Sakura was aware of his strength and abilities…..what she didn't realize was how cute she was in that moment.

Her big green eyes were narrowed and bright, shining with an inner fire. And the way her long wavy pink hair framing her heart shaped face was simply too much. She was radiating hostility and explosive anger. It was fearful yet strangely compelling to the bomber.

Deidara reddened noticeably, but not from aggravation or fury.

"H-hey let go of me yeah!" He said, cheeks stained with a blush.

"Why so scared?" She taunted, bringing their faces closer together.

Sakura would never have done this kind of thing before. She was never bold or brave enough to do so. But here she was, teasing the blonde Akatsuki member like it was no big deal. Maybe inner was still lurking somewhere in her mind.

"I'm not scared of a child! Especially a pink one!" Deidara yelled.

Oh no he didn't…..

"Then stop acting like it blondie." The ten year old said just as loud.

"Just let go of the hair!"

Sakura was about to retort a loud and curt 'never' , when voices can be heard not so far away.

Oh no….

She had to escape now.

This may be her only chance.

"Fine."

Without further ado, she released the blonde locks from her grip.

"Hey, where are you going yeah?" Deidara wondered, still slightly annoyed yet relieved she had freed his hair.

"….The bathroom?" The medic-nin replied, hoping he would believe her lie and just go away.

Sadly, he didn't. He followed her instead.

"Don't you have one in your room?" He asked, his voice was filled with suspicion.

Damn, he's right.

"Oh, there's no hot water in mine."

Sakura halted her steps to look over her shoulder at Deidara, Who stopped walking and was staring at her like she was like a puzzle of some kind.

A few moments passed in silence before a smirk graced the blonde's features.

"So you want hot water huh?" He asked her, tilting his head to the side. Obviously waiting for her reply.

"….Yeah."

"Let's go." The missing-nin stated.

With that damn smirk of his.

Out of the blue, a large and warm hand encased her own tiny one.

"Hey! Let go of me." The pinkette commanded.

"Nope."

"But-" He cut her off mid sentence.

"As your elder, it's my responsibility to take you to wherever you want to go." Deidara smugly stated while leading her through more doors and corridors.

"That doesn't explain why-"

Again, he interrupted. This of course, only fueled the flames of Sakura's irritation. She was not a real child! For Kami's sake, she was a grown woman trapped inside a body of a girl who barely reached the age of ten. That didn't mean she should be treated like an infant who needed assistance with whatever she needed to do. Or wherever she needed to go. Sadly, the bomber was most likely taking her even deeper into the base. Putting her much farther and deeper in her problem than she ever was in the first place.

As Deidara was busy navigating through the area, Sakura wondered if she would ever see the light of day again. Maybe she should've just hit him hard on the head and make a run for it. Although, the chances of getting lost (again) are pretty high….

"Here we are yeah." Turns out, Deidara had brought them to a door.

"Is it a bathroom?"

"No, but it has one. It's actually my room yeah." The blonde turned the knob and led her inside.

Sakura took note of the several clay spiders crawling on the floor, and a few clay birds flying around as well. The room was pretty organized , it only had a dresser, bed and another door that most probably led to his bathroom.

"Go ahead, oh, there are some towels on the rack inside if you need some." He said before dropping onto his grey sheets and promptly passing out.

"….thanks, I guess."

* * *

Deidara waited for the click of the door before opening his eyes.

"What was that yeah?" He asked no one in particular. The blonde was confused, he didn't understand why he couldn't stop thinking about her. The majority of his mind was occupied with thought of a little pink haired girl who looked so adorable, glaring at him like that.

Sakura Haruno was an enigma. She was unpredictable. But then again, that's what made her so fun to play around with. Deidara knew she was trying to escape; he was going to bring her back to her room. Just like any other good captor would. Even so, he couldn't just return her. It was so simple, so boring.

Leaving him with a good, no great idea. Which was to embarrass her.

Unfortunately, the little blossom did not stutter or blush when he brought her to his sleeping quarters. If anything, she seemed to care less. Not even the sight of his deadly spiders or birds seemed to faze her.

The moment she stepped into his shower, he gave up his silly plan of revenge. Which failed horribly.

Yes, she was hot headed, but it only increased her image in the bomber's eyes.

Her emotions and thoughts were fast and fleeting, never the same after a few moments.

Her temper was turbulent and explosive, gripping his attention with an iron fist..

Her eyes were just like emerald fire, flaring up when she was angered.

The little blossom was the very personification of his art.

"Hey Blondie, I borrowed your shirt. I hope you don't mind." The object of his thoughts revealed herself, followed by a cloud of steam.

Oh he did, quite a lot in fact. But he couldn't find the words. Deidara was too busy staring, with a blush steadily making it's way to his cheeks….again.

The pinkette was dressed in his red long sleeved shirt. It dwarfed her completely.

Her fingertips could hardly be seen under all that red fabric. Now that he noticed it, the blood red color of his shirt contrasted with her skin's creamy hue.

It was stupid really, the woman in front of him was stuck in a child's body and yet he found himself attracted to the pink haired beauty. She was just too cute for her own good.

"Nah, I don't mind." With those words, a smile lit up the ten year old' s face.

"Good, cause' I like it."

As she went back into the bathroom to pick up her clothes scattered on the tiled floor, She failed to catch Deidara's words.

"Me too."

End of Flashback

* * *

Sakura was surprised when he didn't ask for his shirt back. Surprised but pleased as well. It was a relief and a joy to wear something other than her oversized clothes. True, Deidara' s shirt was large, bigger than her own t-shirts, but his was so much softer than her own. It was red too, her favorite color.

She sighed at the fabric that used to be her , they were tattered and ruined from her mission and fight with the rouge-nin. Some patches of mud wouldn't even come off when she scrubbed her shirt over the sink in the bathroom.

"Dinner time kid." Kisame entered her bedroom without knocking, a tray laden with food in his hand, with a jug of sake in the other. Out of all the Akatsuki members, the medic-nin was most comfortable with Kisame. She didn't even care if he didn't knock. Sakura was _that_ comfortable around him. His easygoing nature, vigor on the battlefield and love of alcohol reminded her of Tsunade.

A tear slid down her cheek.

"Hey don't go crying now kid. Where was that tough little girl I saw a couple hours ago?" He joked, while ruffling her pink hair.

"I'm fine….you just remind me of someone I miss."

This sparked the mist-nin' s interest.

"Really? Who?"

"Secret." The pinkette smirked at the shark man who sat across from her.

"Whatever, you'll tell me sooner or later."

"Right, sure I will." She scoffed.

Kisame rolled his eyes with a fond smile.

"So, you gonna eat of what? It's not healthy, starving yourself like this."

Was she going temporarily deaf? Or did he just sound concerned for her?

No…it couldn't be.

Sakura mentally chastised herself for being so naive. Thinking that a criminal could care if she was healthy or not.

"How about we make a deal?"

Oh, Kisame definitely reminded Sakura of her Shishou, gambling and all.

Unfortunately, the pinkette had a nasty habit of getting involved in bets and gambles. Like master, like apprentice.

"Depends on the stakes." She answered.

"That's fair…okay…If you eat every meal I bring you, I'll take you outside."

The frown that marred the pinkette's pretty features transformed into one of mischief.

* * *

Ta-da! hope you guys liked it :) and thanks to those 7 people who reviewed last time. I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep this story going. But your reviews have now fueled my determination to continue this story! See? you're my inspiration ;) - VZ


	3. F r e e - s h o t

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

"This isn't outside Sharky." Sakura stated.

"Yeah well…."

"Well?" She prompted.

"Thing is, there's a real big chance that your gonna run away. So, this is the next best thing." Kisame said while gesturing to their surroundings.

"Wouldn't you try to escape? I doubt you'd want to be a prisoner."

"Like anybody could capture me, kid." The missing-nin guffawed.

Sakura rolled her green eyes.

"Hey, don't go rolling those pretty eyes of yours kid. You should be grateful for what I'm doing for you. Nobody besides Akatsuki has ever been in the training grounds before."

The pinkette colored slightly at his complement before nodding her head in thanks. In all honesty, the mist-nin was right. This was much better than sulking in her room. Turns out, their training facility was under several more floors of the Akatsuki' s underground base.

"So you want to train or what?"

The medic-nin smirked.

"Bring it fish face."

* * *

BOOM.

"What was that yeah?"

"How should I fucking know?" Hidan muttered angrily at the blonde.

THUMP

"Do you think there's an attack or something?" Deidara wondered aloud.

"What fucking idiot would come to our base?"

BOOM

"Maybe we should go check yeah."

"Like I give a damn. Unless there's some bastard heathen, I'm not interested."

Before Hidan and Deidara could continue their rather pointless conversation, Tobi had slipped in between their bodies. Shoving both men to the walls of concrete.

"The fuck?!"

"Oh! Tobi didn't see you there Hidan, Hello Deidara-sempai!"

"Hm? Oh yeah, hey Tobi." The blonde answered, his voice was missing the irritation he really felt towards Tobi. He was too busy pondering on anything that could've made such a ruckus.

"Where the hell are you fucking running off to, brat?" The silver haired nin obviously had no trouble expressing his anger towards him.

"To watch Sakura-chan train with Kisame of course!" Tobi's one visible eye crinkled, which meant that he was smiling underneath that orange mask.

"No fucking way, did you see the size of the kid? She won't even get damn close enough to land a hit."

Hidan scoffed.

Tobi looked confused for a moment, before laughing at the Jashinist's words.

"Tobi thinks Sakura could land a hit, maybe even more than a few."

"Right." Hidan said unbelievingly.

"Tobi knows she could!"

"Wanna make fucking bet on that?!"

"Sakura is sparring with Kisame?" Deidara said to no one in particular. Since when did they get so close? The bomber thought with unease.

"How much?"

To everyone's surprise and utter shock, Kakuzu appeared out of nowhere.

"The hell?"

"I asked how much are the wages, for the bet."

Deidara and Hidan almost face palmed. Of course Kakuzu would just randomly show up at any time or place, just for the sake of money.

"Tobi bets his next month's wages that Sakura-chan can get a hit on Kisame, maybe even more!"

"And you Hidan?" Kakuzu questioned his partner.

"Ha! I fucking double that you brat!"

"Deidara?"

"…..I don't want to lose any money, yeah." The blonde held his hands in a form of surrender. The last thing he wanted was to get stuck in a gambling pool.

BOOM THUMP

"Let's go yeah?"

And so Deidara, Hidan and Kakuzu made their way to the training grounds. Tobi on the other hand, was practically skipping with excitement.

* * *

Sakura was panting heavily, blood was dribbling to her chin from a scratch on her temple and her limbs were tired already. She would've been disgraced for looking so beat up after a couple hours of training. The only consolation was the mist-nin several yards away.

She smiled, happy he was just as worn out as her.

Panting like he had run a marathon, Kisame was drained. The several bruises and cuts he'd received from the pinkette' s fist and chakra scalpels didn't help his fatigued condition either.

"Do you give up yet sharky?" Sakura asked him.

The battered nin laughed like she had just said the funniest joke he'd ever heard.

"Are you kidding? No way am I quitting, Besides, I was just warming up kid."

A pink eyebrow rose in response.

"Right, that's probably why I almost knocked you out huh?"

"Don't let it get to your head, I was just giving you a free shot." He grinned, giving Sakura a pretty good view of his sharp teeth.

She merely snorted at his lame excuse.

"So, we gonna just stand here all day or are we-" Before he could finish his sentence, the medic-nin ran forward and gave a solid kick that sent him flying into a nearby wall.

BOOM

"Thanks for yet another free shot Kisame!" She yelled, smiling with victory.

"Rematch, I want another round kid!" Kisame replied with viscious grin.

"Like you can take any more hits." The pinkette mumbled to herself with pride. She just beat Akatsuki' s member, Kisame Hoshigaki in a spar! Inside, Inner was celebrating with screams of joy.

She then walked to the breathless missing-nin. Maybe she shouldn't have put that much chakra into her attack. An attack that wouldn't even be possible if she still continued with her 'rebellion' against these criminals. It's a good thing Kisame convinced her to eat again.

And to repay him for giving her this awesome work out, Sakura was going to help him out.

"What are you doing kid?" Kisame questioned the little girl who knelt beside his crumpled form and laid her small hands across his chest.

"Sh…I'm trying to concentrate."

"….On what? Feeling me up?" He joked, showing her his sharp teeth in yet another frightening smile.

Blood rose to her cheeks.

"W-What? Of course not! I'm trying to heal you….besides, I'm only ten."

Sweat began dotting her slightly large forehead while she worked over the Akatsuki member.

Yes, she told herself she wouldn't be mending any broken bones or patching up any wounds of the criminal organization known as the Akatsuki. But, She'll make an exception for the mist-nin. He was being nice to her, even going as far to bring her into their training grounds. Which was apparently, off-limits to anyone else.

"That's a lie and we both know it." Kisame' s eyes drifted close. The kid's chakra was so soothing. It felt like each wave of chakra she sent into his system was rejuvenating him.

"Fine, I'm actually nineteen. I'll be turning twenty soon."

"No kidding, twenty huh? Nah, that's still pretty young if you ask me." He said with a grin.

"You only think that because you're old." Sakura poked his blue cheek, smirking at the furrow on his brow.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"…not that old…." He muttered.

She chuckled at his reaction.

"There, all done. You look brand new." The pinkette stood up and dusted herself off.

"I feel it too, damn. You're good at that healing thing, kid. I feel refreshed." Kisame also stood up and cleaned himself.

"I should be, I'm a medic-nin of Konoha after all." She said, her voice full of pride. But then she seemed to deflate, her lovely green eyes darkened all of a sudden.

"Hey, if you got a problem. Just say it. It won't do you any good, keeping your emotions bottled up like that."

The mist-nin ruffled her pink hair.

"…I …I just miss home." She barely whispered.

Shit. Kisame cursed mentally. Of course she'd be sad. Who wouldn't be? She's been shrunk, imprisoned then beat up, although, the last one was done willingly.

"Do you like sweets?"

Sakura looked up at the Akatsuki member with tear filled eyes.

"….Yeah, especially dango." She answered.

"Perfect, there's this stand that sells the best dango around here. I'll bring some to you later, if you eat your vegetables in your dinner."

"Yes, Dad." Green eyes lit up in humor.

That's more like it. He thought. Kisame didn't like seeing her all weepy and teary eyed. For one thing, it was simply depressing. Another was he preferred the loud and feisty girl who made staying at the underground base much more interesting. Not to mention preferable to his partner's constant silence.

"Whatever, I'm just looking out for you." A large blue hand patted the pinkette' s head.

"Why?"

"Someone has to."

And just like that, the tense atmosphere disappeared. Leaving a comfortable, companionable silence behind.

* * *

"She fucking did it…..Oh FUCK! I just lost two month's worth of cash! Damn! Damn it all to hell!"

"Don't feel too bad Hidan, yeah."

"Tobi thinks Deidara-sempai is right! Don't frown like that. Tobi thinks it makes you look mean and scary."

"I'll fucking show you mean and sc-"

"Enough. Hidan, stop sulking and harassing the poor boy."

"You can't order me around you bastard Kakuzu!"

"I just did."

"Like I give two fucks what you say-"

Suddenly, A thick grey tendril wrapped itself around the silver haired nin several times. Effectively keeping his dirty mouth shut for the time being.

"Ah, peace and quiet."

* * *

AN : Hey all, hope this chapter was too your liking. By the way, i just wanted all you guys to know that I didn't mean for Deidara to sound pedophiliac or anything like that. (even if i did make it sound like it...heehee...sorry) But don't worry, I have a plot line for this! Anyways, thanks for all this who reviewed. I hope you will continue to do so. :) - VZ

Lots of Love and thanks to...

Kalafina94

Dina Sana

Emzy2k11

JohnnyLove

Cherryjubilee

and all the other people ! (guests and anonymous)


	4. E n j o y a b l e ?

I do not own Naruto - VZ

* * *

A curt knock awakened the pinkette from her much needed sleep. Her earlier training session with the mist-nin had tired her out. In all honesty, she had a pleasant time with the missing-nin. His gruff yet affectionate attitude towards her was comforting in her situation. Though she still wished she wasn't in this situation in the first place. As she made her way to the door, Sakura wondered if anybody was out there, searching for her. But she doubted it, Her shishou had given her an indefinite amount of time to complete her task. Again, Sakura was puzzled how such a simple delivery mission had gone awry.

Assuming it was Kisame with her sweets, the little girl merely opened the door. Not bothering to check who was behind it.

"Thanks again for that training session fish face. It really tired me out." She said while plopping down on her bed. Still not facing the entryway to her room.

"So what Kisame said was true. You did spar with him earlier." A deep voice answered her.

Sakura's body stilled, her entire demeanor turning rigid with those words. Well, it wasn't the words that shocked her stiff. It was the person who said it.

She turned her head, finally realizing whom she was talking to for the first time. His dark hair was in a lose ponytail. A few wayward strands framed his face, which looked wary and guarded. Sakura couldn't help it, but she felt an inkling of pity for the shinobi standing info front of her.

It must be exhausting, having to be on constant defense against everybody and everything. Nevertheless, she should bury those feelings of sympathy for the man she was currently facing. He had done things that hurt so many people. Including her teammate. Who had nothing but anger and hatred in his life. Something Sakura still wanted to desperately change. Although she knew it was close to an impossible task. Not when Sasuke was still siding with that snake bastard.

"Itachi." Her voice came out surprised.

"Why so startled kunoichi?" His tone was bored yet bemused at the same time.

Sakura decided to not let her fear be known, so she remained stoic and silent. Well, as stoic and silent as she could be.

"Don't you want you're sweets?" Itachi held up a brown paper bag.

The pinkeye was confused. Wasn't Kisame meant to deliver her meals? And didn't he promise to bring her dango today?

"I thought Kisame would be bringing me my food."

"Don't be too disappointed, he is merely completing a mission for Leader." The dark man before her said dryly.

"That doesn't explain why you're here." The pinkette replied, her green eyes questioning.

"Would you rather have Zetsu bring you're treat instead?"

Small hands gripped the pillow beside her tighter. No, Sakura did not want the plant man to bring her snack. Between the Uchiha and the carnivorous shinobi, she'd rather have the lesser of two evils.

"I guess not…." Was her sheepish reply.

And so, Itachi came forward and dropped the paper bag in her waiting hands. But not before grabbing a stick of dango for himself.

"You like dango?" Sakura asked incredulously.

"Yes, I am rather fond of them." The Uchiha made himself comfortable on the foot of her bed. Sakura was grateful he did not sit so close to her. Even if he was quite near her, he did not invade her personal space.

It was awkward to say the least, for the first five minutes of munching on her delicious food Itachi barely said a word. Well, she wasn't really expecting him to. But she didn't assume he would sit next to her either. Sakura was about to grab another stick of dango when she felt his eyes on her.

Green eyes met with dark orbs. Inwardly, She was surprised. She never imagined he would let his guard down and watch her so openly, without his sharingan no less. Now that the pinkette thought about it, his eyes were dark and not the vivid red she was expecting when he entered her room.

"…what?" Not only Sakura was tired of the silence, his constant staring was annoying her.

"Do I scare you kunoichi?" Was his reply.

Of all the things he could've asked her, this was the last thing she expected.

"...No." But in reality, it was the complete and utter opposite.

His lips quirked up into a devious smirk, this promptly made Inner squeal like a rabid fan girl.

"You're lying." He stated with absolute confidence.

"No, I'm not!" She said (more like shouted) with a pout. She bit into a piece of dango to refrain from yelling at the missing-nin anymore. The last thing Sakura wanted was to sound like a whiny, not to mention loud, bratty towards an extremely powerful shinobi who could kill her in less than a second if he wanted to.

A deep chuckle reached the pinkette' s ears.

Sakura reddened, both in anger and in embarrassment. Itachi Uchiha was _laughing_ at her. **_Laughing!_**

"Y-you're laughing at me…." She said, disbelieving at the sight of the amused shinobi beside her.

"Well, you are very humorous. It's immensely entertaining."

Pink brows furrowed at his blunt proclamation of calling her funny.

"Really?" Oh yes, she was very articulate.

But then again, Sakura justified it wasn't her fault for being so tongue-tied. It's not everyday you see a laughing Itachi. It almost made him look less depressed and lonely.

"Yes, especially when you very nearly demolished Leader's office. It's quite a remarkable sight, A little girl who can destroy as well as she can mend and heal."

Sakura smiled at this, she was proud of that. Though she would've been much more satisfied if she actually escaped. And deep inside, she was flattered at his complement. The medic-nin had worked hard to attain the skills she was so well known for.

"However you are far from a child." Itachi gestured to her tiny body with mirth.

Indignation crept up on her, and so did a bit of confidence. For her next words were filled with promise and ferocity.

"Yeah, and don't you forget it. I'm going to undo this jutsu and escape when you least expect it."

Sakura met his dark gaze with her green eyes, which were bright with hope and assurance.

"Hn…" Though his reply was short and reserved, the medic-nin could see something in his usually brooding eyes. Although it was gone before she could analyze it any further.

Silence filled the air between them, but unlike before, it was peaceful…..even comfortable.

Sakura was disconcerted by this, was she actually at ease around the missing-nin?

"Sleep well kunoichi." The bed lifted as the shinobi' s weight was suddenly gone. Itachi stood straight and walked towards the door.

Was he leaving already? at this thought, Sakura swiftly dismissed the feelings of sadness of missing the company of her enemy. It was wrong to. But still, she was doing just that. The pinkette somewhat pleased with his presence. Even their earlier banter was enjoyable.

...

enjoyable?...

...

Oh kami...this was not good...

Sakura Haruno _fond_ of Itachi Uchiha's presence. And they've only spoken once! Not only that, she even appreciated Kisame's efforts of comfort for her situation.

A dark, smooth voice interrupted her racing thoughts and growing unease.

"Good night…..Sakura."

"Oh, um...Good night" The pinkette said, giving the missing-nin a nod.

And so, Itachi left her room, leaving the rest of the dango with her.

"Damn..." Sakura cursed to herself. It was official, if she was actually being amiable towards the Akatsuki of all people.

She really needed to escape _soon_.

* * *

Hehe, hope you all liked it. I'm still so very happy with all the reviews I've gotten.

Lots of Love to...

Shadow wolf

Sakura no Polen

anime-is-my-heart-and-soul

Emzy2k11

JohnnyLove

Jessica (this chapter is for you!)

Dina Sana

Ydshaw

Kalafina94 (I absolutely LOVE your long reviews! Each time I read it, I feel so happy and touched that you took the time to write such a long review.)

And everyone else! (guests and Anonymous)

...Till next time - VZ


	5. T r u e - A r t - i s

I stil don't own the awesomeness that is called Naruto - VZ

* * *

Sakura was walking silently, not really heading anywhere in particular. The medic-nin was simply bored and nothing better to do. And so she wandered around Akatsuki' s underground base. Surprisingly, without any supervision at all. Usually she would be escorted by any available member of the feared shinobi group. But today she walked alone. Although the pinkette was quite relieved by this, she was also just as irritated. Did they stop the constant observation of her every move because they believed she couldn't escape? That she had no way of contacting anybody?

The medic-nin huffed in frustration.

Well, they were right. It wasn't like she didn't try to escape. She did. Several times in fact. Her only problem was either getting lost in the many corridors and hallways or bumping into a member of the Akatsuki. At some point, they wouldn't even ask where she was going. Each and Every one of those criminals knew about her burning desire to leave this place.

Sakura didn't even bother to find her way back to her room if she ever got lost. Any one of the shinobi will merely appear and direct her to the right direction. It was disconcerting to say the least. And The fact that they weren't completely hostile towards her, some were even nice to her.

Suddenly, Kisame appeared in her mind's eye. A feeling of warmth filled her belly. Sakura couldn't find it in herself to hate the missing-nin as much as she had before. She even found comfort in his company. His jokes and sharp-toothed grin eased her fears just a bit.

The pinkette sighed; she was getting comfortable around S-rank missing-nins. This was not good.

As she was passing by a door that was slightly open, Sakura heard a rather interesting conversation.

"Don't you see?! True art is transient, fleeting. Fading after a moment." A boyish and loud voice reached Sakura's ears. Green eyes widened when realizing the owner of said voice is none other than the blonde, Deidara. A scoff was heard right after the bomber's persuasive words.

"Foolish boy, genuine art is eternal. Captured and conserved for future generations." A much more mellow voice replied with conviction.

It was Sasori, Sakura was sure of it. She would recognize that voice anywhere.

The medic-nin leaned towards the door that was left ajar, wanting to hear more of their views on art. In truth, she was fascinated on how these two artist thought about their craft. How they remained partners even though they had contrasting interpretations of art.

"What? Real art must be momentary…gone the second it was created! An Explosion of beauty in a single instant!" Sakura's heart went out to the blonde, whose words were filled with so much passion for his craft.

Unfortunately, the pinkette was so concentrated, contemplating on Deidara' s explanation of art. She didn't realize the majority of her weight was pressed to the thin layer of wood.

Before she could back away, the door had moved, taking her with it.

"Ah!" Sakura gasped just as she fell face forward.

It was silent.

Green eyes fluttered open.

Only to meet with a sky blue and a dark shade of hazel.

"….Uh…Hi?"

Inner promptly face palmed.

"Sakura? What are you doing here yeah?" The blond asked while molding a handful of clay. His eyes that were so impossibly blue were filled with curiosity. Well, at least he wasn't as rude to her as he was before. She thought.

"Oh….I was…just wandering around. I got bored." She muttered while standing up and dusting herself off with as much dignity as she could. The pinkette was about to take her leave when calm yet strong voice stopped her.

"….Haruno-san, whose view do you think is true art? " Sasori gestured to himself and Deidara.

Sakura was startled for a moment, her jaw almost dropping. Was Sasori of the red sand actually asking her what she thought of real art? The medic-nin couldn't believe he was actually taking note of her presence. Let alone question her about her views on art.

For a while it was silent.

Then the ten year old answered the missing-nin' s question with a level gaze.

"I think genuine art is limitless, expressed in any way possible. It can disappear in a single moment. Yet, it can also be everlasting. I guess I think both of your views on art is true."

The medic-nin didn't pay much attention to art before. But, she appreciated it though. She wasn't very close to any other kind of craft unless it was ninja or medic related. That was her craft.

And in truth, Sakura wasn't trying to please both parties and tell them they were both right. Deep down, she knew it was true. Both their views were right. It's just that after hearing both their arguments, she couldn't help but feel the same. Art doesn't have any boundaries. It can disappear in less than a second yet it can last years.

Sakura rambled on, unaware of the two artist staring at the little girl in front of them

"There is beauty in that instant, just before your art disappears, you can revel in the beauty it's made and the bang it left behind" Green eyes met with blue and she swore there was joy in them. The blonde seemed to lighten up at her proclamation. Obviously happy she mentioned his favorite word.

Deidara' s lips formed into a smile at the pinkette' s words, including the ones on his palms.

"But I also believe art has the ability to surpass time, to be able to be passed down to the next generation of Artists, I suppose…." She trailed off.

"…. Impossible, two so different cannot be the same."

Sasori regarded the young girl in front of him with respect yet confusion. Respect because she was able to defeat him before. Although she had help, and his pride was still rather bruised from being beaten by a little girl. The puppet master deemed her worthy of being called 'Haruno-san' instead of 'little girl'.

The very name he used to call her in the cave where their fight had begun. Even then he was impressed by her strength and tenacity in the midst of battle.

"Well, You asked a question and you got your answer. If you don't like it, then don't bother asking in the first place." Sakura said while combing through her long, coral pink strands of hair.

Sasori raised an eyebrow at this.

"So you think both our forms of art is 'true art'?" He questioned the kunoichi standing before him.

"I just said so didn't I?" She replied whilst placing her hands on her hips and rolling her green eyes.

Earlier worries and embarrassment faded as soon as she started rambling about their art. Sakura was no longer worried about being brazen towards Sasori or Deidara, especially the blonde. She had already worn his shirt for crying out loud! Sakura wore his garment several times in the Akatsuki base, eliciting odd glances from most of its members in the process. But the shirt was too damn comfy that she really didn't find the effort to care.

"You are a very odd person Haruno-san." The red head stated with a- oh Kami- a smirk?

Sakura almost blushed. His good looks were much better and less broody looking when his lips tilted up into a smile. Well, almost smile.

"Takes one to know one." Her lips quirked up slightly.

The smirk widened further, into a small (practically miniscule) smile.

The pinkette' s heart beat sped up at the sight.

Uh-oh…

…..

A missing-nin who she supposedly killed was smiling at her like they were good friends.

…..

Oh no, here it is again.

The whole bantering and getting comfortable in the enemies' presence thing was back.

Sakura had to leave, now.

"Uh, I better go. Kisame might bring me my dinner soon." She muttered and quickly left the room, but not before asking where her room was and how to get back there. After waving and saying a curt good bye to both missing-nins, Sakura was gone as quick as she came.

"You were mean yeah, Sakura isn't odd. She's special." Deidara muttered darkly to his partner.

"I was being honest." Sasori replied.

"…But you're right about one thing." The puppet master said while fixing one of his puppet's arms.

"About what?" The bomber asked excitedly, it wasn't everyday that Sasori of the red sand would say you were correct.

"She is special." Sasori simply said, turning his back to the blonde so that he could finish readying his puppets for their upcoming mission, but not before Deidara spotted that small smirk on his lips.

Smirk? Since when did Sasori-danna show any form of emotion? Let alone a good one to make him smile like that.

Deidara felt a sudden dislike directed at his partner, though this time, the reason wasn't because of their different perspectives on art.

* * *

Hope you liked it! Lots of love and thanks to the last chapter's reviewers!

Trunksmybaby

Shadow wolf

sappheirios

emmacrade24

kalafina94 (Oh...my...gosh, I LOVE your super long review. You have no idea how fun it is for me to read your thoughts on my stories, and yes, Itachi is one sexy man. hehe I bet he gets eye-raped all the time, It's his fault for being so sexy. ;) )

Sakura no polen (this chapter is for you!)

Ydshaw

lalamnmgirl

Emzy2k11

Dina Sana

And everyone else! (guest and Anonymous)

Till next time - VZ


	6. R a g e

I don't own Naruto - VZ

* * *

Sakura was brushing her long pink hair when her stomach grumbled very loudly. Choosing to obey her tummy, she decided to find something to munch on in the kitchen. She sighed as she made her way to the kitchen, still combing through her long pink strands. It wasn't out of vanity really (well, a part of her did miss long hair. But keeping it short was just much more practical) but if she was going to keep it long for now, Sakura had to maintain it. Sakura was happy she had the sense to pack a brush and other toiletries in her rucksack.

Anyhow, The medic-nin walked through the halls and corridors with ease. This time, she knew where she was going. A few of the members had directed her to most of the rooms. Sadly, They hadn't told her where the exit was. Well, why would they? She was their prisoner after all.

Nevertheless, She no longer needed help when navigating to this part of the base. The pinkette was able to find her way to this particular room because Kisame actually stopped delivering her meals altogether. He said it was stupid for her to eat alone in her room when they could share a meal together in the dining hall. It was actually a sweet sentiment. That is, until the mist-nin ruined it by stating that he was also too lazy to run back and forth to bring her meals so many times a day. Anyways, as Sakura entered the room she realized it was occupied. Not that she had a problem with that. It's just that no one usually eats in the dining hall. Except for herself and Kisame. The majority of the members ate in their own rooms. Which Sakura thought was downright silly, there was a spacious area made for eating yet they all chose to be alone and not use it.

"What the hell are you staring at? Other than my fucking good looks." The silver haired-nin said with a rakish smile.

Sakura was embarrassed to be caught staring at Hidan. But of course, she wasn't going to give him satisfaction of her obvious discomfort.

"Dare to dream, bastard." She gave him a sugar coated smile while walking towards the refrigerator.

A silver brow arched.

"Don't have to bitch." He returned, then continued eating an entire plate of spare ribs.

She rolled her green eyes at the cussing man. Yes, she had used some dirty words herself. And the medic-nin tried her best not to. But whenever she was around the jashin worshipper, She made a special exception.

Her tiny hands pulled the handle and opened the fridge, revealing a wide variety of food. Sakura's mouth almost watered at the sight of dango. What could she say? The pinkette had a sweet tooth. Although she wouldn't mind something syrup coated as well. Maybe she should ask Kisame to bring her some anko-dumplings or umeboshi.

Too impatient to walk back to her room to enjoy her delicious snack, she plopped down on a vacant chair a few seats away from Hidan. This action didn't go unnoticed by the missing-nin.

"Too damn scared to sit next to me Sakura-chan?" The man taunted the little girl. Even going as far as to add 'chan' to the end of her name. Which was irritating because she knew how he had no regard for honorifics, at least from what she's noticed from her stay at Akatsuki. It was evident he was trying to rile her up. Needless to say, Sakura wasn't going to give him the gratification of her discomfort or anger.

And so, she stood up from her spot and made herself comfortable on the seat left of Hidan.

His purple eyes looked thoroughly amused by this.

"Of course not Hidan-kun." As she took a bite of her dango, she noticed the way his eyes practically gleamed.

"So how are you Sakura-chan? Enjoying your fucking stay here at Akatsuki?" Hidan had a maniac grin plastered to his face. It didn't take a genius to know that he was goading her.

"Oh yes, I've always wanted to be held captive by insane criminals, forced to be their personal medic, not to mention being confined against my will." Sarcasm coated her words and her voice was cheerful. But Hidan could see the fire in her eyes, the rage in those green depths.

He briefly wondered what it would be like to spar with her. The medic-nin was lethal in her own right; even he had to admit that. Monstrous strength and expert chakra manipulation? Hell, it would be a damn good fight. The Akatsuki member thought manically. Especially since he lost that fucking bet, it would be a good way to not only vent out his anger. But maybe even enjoy the battle. He really did relish an opponent who was a free thinker, who had not only power but intellect as well. It made the fight all the more engaging.

"We should spar sometime, it's a damn good way to get all that fucking anger out of that tiny body of yours." The silver haired nin commented, licking of the sauce from his meal, he smirked at her.

Sakura could feel blood rising up to her cheeks, from fury of his presumption that she was angry (well now she was). And from his earlier words. It was quite flattering, having another S-rank missing nin want to exchange blows with you. But She certainly wasn't going to let him know any of that.

"I don't have any anger!" Sakura hissed, green eyes flashing dangerously.

Despite the pinkette' s enraged aura, Hidan found he was not intimidated in the slightest. If anything, he reveled in her livid demeanor. The violent ones were always the fiercest in battle.

"Yeah fucking right." He scoffed, rolling his eyes like she had earlier.

"I am right." Sakura gave him an impish grin and took another yummy bite of dango.

"Tch, are you always this freaking annoying?" Hidan questioned.

"Depends, are you always this obnoxious?" Her mischievous smile widened further, even showing a bit of her white teeth.

"Only for you sweet heart." The missing-nin replied, taking a large bite from his meal, his eyes never leaving hers.

"…oh shut up, Just so you know…I am not always angry." The medic-nin before him added.

Although, the animosity swirling in those green eyes seemed to contradict her statement.

"Whatever you say Sa-ku-ra-chan." Which each pronounced syllable of her name, Hidan leaned close and poked her forehead, delighting in her stormy gaze.

"Oh hell, you should be happy you've got so much rage in you. You know how fucking boring you'd be if you didn't?" He muttered, relaxing into his seat.

Sakura didn't know whether to be once again flattered he just indirectly called her interesting or, be miffed at his attitude.

So she merely finished up her snack and put the dirty dish into the sink. It was silent for a few minutes. While she washed her plate, she noticed the silence wasn't unbearable.

As she exited the room, Hidan smirked and called out to her. Once he had her attention, he stated in seven simple words.

"Tomorrow. Twelve noon. Training grounds. Be there."

Her reply had him laughing like a lunatic inwardly.

"Do you really want to have your ass kicked by a ten year old?" Sakura put her hands on her hips and raised a pink brow threateningly. Promising to pummel him when given the chance.

Hidan could barely wait for tomorrow. Already anticipating their battle.

"Like you could even come close to touching this fine piece of ass, let alone fucking kick it."

To her credit, Sakura didn't blush or stutter, simply smirking and accepting his challenge.

"We'll see.." She said as she left the kitchen.

* * *

"Damn…..that bitch really is a piece of work." The jashin worshipper said to no one in particular.

Even when Itachi set foot into the kitchen, Hidan still hadn't been able to erase the tilt of his lips. He really was eagerly waiting for tomorrow noon.

The Uchiha ignored the silver haired nin and opened the fridge, only to find that his plate of dango was missing.

"Hn…."

"The fuck's your problem Uchiha?" Hidan asked, curious to what had made Itachi look rather irked.

"My dango has been stolen." The dark haired man deadpanned.

Purple eyes widened slightly.

Wasn't the brat eating dango just a while ago?

Damn….

Hidan was slowly backing away when Itachi turned and looked him straight in the eye. His sharingan flashing a vivid red.

Oh Fuck….

"I didn't eat your precious dango, Damn it! If that's what your wondering."

Still, the Uchiha didn't look convinced.

"Then who did?" He inquired darkly.

"…..uh."

Should he rat her out?

Itachi wouldn't kill her or anything right? It'd be a shame, then Hidan wouldn't get his match against the medic-nin.

Fuck. All this for a lousy stick of dango?!

Before Hidan could make a run for it, Itachi directed his gaze to the table. The other Akatsuki member followed suit. He then found a brush, some long pinks strands tangled within the bristles.

Hidan watched him put the puzzle together and to the jashinist's surprise, He smiled. Well, more like a quirk of the lips. But all the same, he no longer looked irritated. More like amused.

The fuck?

"Hn….I'll be taking my leave now." And so, the ebony haired ninja left and fast as he came.

"Weird." The remaining occupant of the room murmured before going to his quarters.

He had a scythe to sharpen, after all he had no intention of losing tomorrow's spar.

* * *

Only when Sakura shut her door, she realized she was being friendly to yet another Akatsuki member.

"Damn!"

And the lack of her hair brush.

"Double Damn!"

* * *

Hope you all liked it! Just so ya know I'm honestly really grateful for each review I get. And I'm so close to 50! hehe, i know it's not that high. Of course I'm not writing for the sake of reviews, I really do enjoy writing this. But still, I'm happy each time i get a response for my work. It's seriously flattering. My dream is that this story will get tons of reviews someday. Not to be greedy or anything :) Anyways, Lots of love and thanks to my reviewers from last chapter! :)

Jessica

Shadow Wolf

Raganore nevermore (yey! a new reviewer! I hope you like my story so far.)

Dina Sana

lalamnmgirl

Kalafina94 (OMYGOODNESS...That was by far the longest review i have ever gotten...EVER! you have absolutely no idea how fun it was to read. *glomps Kalafina94* you so awesome!)

Emzy2k11

Sakura no Polen

And everyone else! (guests and Anonymous)

Till next time! - VZ


	7. L e t - l o o s e

I still don't own Naruto- VZ

* * *

Hidan was whistling a happy tune on his way to the training grounds. Usually, there wasn't any reason for the jashin worshipper to be in such a good mood. But that had changed just last night. Each step brought the silver haired nin closer to a certain medic-nin, who he was dying to spar with. His blood red scythe glinted under the florescent lights of the base. He had sharpened the blade with delight. Once this morning and twice the night before. Oh yes, he was very much excited for their battle.

Hidan opened the door that led him to their training facility, only to realize that he wasn't the only one itching for a good battle.

"The hell are you doing here fish face?!" He yelled to the mist-nin who was sparring with Deidara.

Hidan was seriously annoyed.

He wanted the entire area free of any person other than the pinkette and himself. It was much more fun that way, her not bothering to hold back in fear for any casualties and crushing everything in sight. Him laughing manically and matching her strength with his blade. Unfortunately, all those plans flew straight out the window with the presence of his two fellow Akatsuki members.

Kisame didn't bother facing the silver haired nin he only replied in his usual loud and gruff voice.

"Baking a pie…No you dumb ass! What does it look like?! I'm training with blondie here!"

After finishing his statement, the mist-nin swung his large sword, fully intent on hitting the bomber square in the chest. But Deidara didn't let him get that far, He dodged the swing with skill and thrust his body into the air. Landing several yards away from his opponent.

Kisame grunted at his failed attempt and proceeded to hunt down Deidara. Who only smirked at the raging nin before him. Hidan watched as the blonde spread his arms wide and the palms on his hands opened gleefully. Smiling before letting loose hundreds of clay spiders and birds. They all crawled and flew towards their target. Which, sadly for Kisame, was him.

Hidan practically guffawed at the sight of the mist-nin diving, lunging and evading the many bombs out to get him. Deidara himself laughed as he detonated the explosives closest to his adversary. Loud bursts of sound and smoke followed a second later.

"Wow, that looks intense." A low whistle followed the statement. Hidan turned and found no one there.

_Fuck…. maybe I'm going insane_… He thought.

"Um…. down here."

Purple eyes followed where the voice was coming from.

Only to meet with a very vivid green, shining with mirth.

Hidan couldn't help the grin forming on his face.

"Tch…Bout' fucking time you got here Sakura-chan."

Sakura didn't fail to notice the way he stressed her name, sweetening his tone while pronouncing each syllable. But of course, She wouldn't let him know of her discomfort.

"So sorry to make you wait, Hidan-kun." She practically crooned, her eyes were now glinting with mischief. The man before her simply smirked at her boldness.

"Yeah, you should be. " He muttered while walking around the pair who were still going at it. It seemed like Kisame wasn't going down so easily.

"Aw, miss me that much huh?"

Sakura had no intention of acting this bold to tease the missing-nin. But it was too much to resist. If he was going to make her feel uneasy or awkward, she might as well do the same. Weirdly enough, he didn't seem put off by her comments. More like amused or engaged by their banter.

Before the pinkette could further ponder on these strange thoughts, Hidan replied with a saucy wink.

"Who freaking wouldn't?"

Sakura was stunned for a moment.

"What? Lost your nerve Sa-ku-ra-chan?" He taunted.

Just like the night before, Hidan poked her forehead with each syllable of her name.

And each time he did, She could feel herself getting angrier.

"Never Hidan-kun." She swatted his large hand away.

"Right, could have fooled me. So, you fucking ready to let loose all that anger?" The Akatsuki member started walking backwards. Putting some distance between them in preparation for their battle.

Green eyes rolled in response to his words.

"Like I said before, I don't have any anger."

"Ha! Like hell you don't, each time I look into those eyes of yours. I can see all the rage in em'. Just begging to be set free! " Hidan yelled, already far away from her.

One pink brow rose at his declaration. It was true, she had quite the temper. But Sakura tried to not let it control her most of the time. It made her judgment cloudy and her common sense foggy. Needless to say, when dealing with a shinobi, It wouldn't be wise to free all her pent up rage.

"I'm not even close to being mad, let alone seething with rage. I'm completely calm and level headed." The pinkette commented while straightening her spine. Stretching a few of her limbs as she did so. The last thing she wanted was to have cramps or sore muscles the next day.

Hidan swung his scythe expertly, eyeing the kunoichi in front of him. He knew she was lying. Obviously, he could already see her tense form. And he didn't want to fight calm and level headed. Hell no, He wanted vicious and ruthless.

The girl just needed to be provoked. However not with teasing, but with real barbs with words that will push her off the edge.

"Level headed my sexy ass. I bet you're just fucking scared. Or maybe you can't really do much with those tiny little fists of yours."

Sakura's jaw almost dropped at his words.

_Oh no he didn't !_ Inner shrieked in fury.

"I'm not scared! And these 'tiny fists' can punch a hole straight through your anatomy!"

The medic-nin waved her fists in the air, glowing with chakra.

Hidan chuckled at her reaction. Just a bit more….

"Then why don't you? Oh wait! You-" The jashin worshipper couldn't finish his sentence, well it was hard to. When you have two hands strangling you and pining you to a hard concrete wall.

"Finally!" He choked out as he brandished his blood red weapon.

Sakura pulled back and ruthlessly and jamming his skull back to the hard surface.

"I was itching for a fight like this. Damn!-" His words were once again cut off when the pinkette launched his large body into the air. Only to jump gracefully over his prone body in mid air and deliver a powerful kick to his gut.

Hidan smiled like a mad man the entire time.

"You call this a fight? more like a beating Hidan-kun." Even in battle, Sakura maintained her saccharine tone. After kicking his abdomen once more, the little girl leaped away. Setting a few yards distance between them and settling into a battle stance.

The missing-nin twisted his body so that he could land on his feet not on his face. In truth, the only reason why she had gotten a hit was because she had the element of surprise. The silver haired nin didn't think she would pin him to a wall while he was conversing with her. But then again, His intention was to provoke her.

"Tch...watch and learn Sakura-chan." With that said, Hidan readied his triple bladed scythe. Already lunging after the pinkette.

For the next five minutes, Sakura dodged, lunged and generally avoided each and every attack he's made. Hidan only grinned like the manic that he was and kept on going at it. She huffed in frustration, executing a back flip and landing a good distance away. She panted a bit from the exhaustion and effort of having to practically run away from his unpredictable assaults with that scythe of his. Good thing he was slower than Kisame, most probably due to the fact his choice of weapon was fairly large and looked just as heavy.

"Pay attention Sakura-chan! Wouldn't want you to lose that pretty head of yours!" Hidan suddenly appeared with a wicked smile plastered to his face. Just because he wasn't as fast as her other opponents, didn't mean he was slow. The Akatsuki member hurled the weight of his blade towards her and swung with both arms. Putting strength into that blow as much as possible. Sakura ducked just before he had the chance to decapitate her. Rolling away slightly out of breath. She reminded herself to breathe and think. With that deadly weapon, they weren't on equal ground. She was unarmed.

Wait...ground...

That's it!

Sakura stopped sprinting away from her enemy and planted her feet firmly on the ground.

"Tired of running?" Hidan faced her and licked his blade. Uncaring of the dark substance that bled from his self inflicted wound. He hummed in pleasure and looked straight into her eyes. Sakura narrowed her own and primed herself, gathering chakra into her hands.

The medic-nin allowed herself to smile just as wickedly to her opponent, then thrust her body high into the air. Once she decided it was a good enough distance from the ground, she dived for the hard surface of the floor.

Hidan, confused by her actions, didn't act until it was too late.

Sakura had plunged into the ground, her tiny fist meeting the exterior of the concrete.

"Oh Fuck." Were his last words before the ground underneath his feet split and crumbled. Leaving a large fissure in the earth.

The jashin worshipper was able to avoid the majority of the earth collapsing under his feet and the several sizable chunks of earth headed for him.

"Who's running now?!" A pleased shout echoed around him.

"Ha! Not for long Sakura-chan!" After his reply, he swung his weapon. Not blindly of course, he could feel her chakra signature. The smoke from the flying debris had fogged his vision enough to wonder where the pinkette was. But he also wondered why she hadn't concealed her chakra.

"Yes! I fucking Got you!" He screamed in absolute delight. Although, his joy immediately diminished when a 'pop' was heard.

"The hell-" For the third time that day, he was interrupted. This time though, with a kunai poised over his neck.

"I win." Sakura whispered in Hidan's ear. who was still shocked at the moment. Where did she get a kunai? When did she make a clone? How did a mere clone have the exact chakra signature she had?

While Hidan was busy considering how she won their spar, The pinkette was laughing in the inside. It was simple really, all she did was use the dust cloud as a distraction. Skillfully creating a clone with her chackra signature and masking her own. Hopefully her opponent would take the bait and fight with her clone instead of herself. Once she finished, Sakura was ready to throw another chakra laden punch. This time, her target was no longer the ground, but Hidan's head. But before she could, a gruff yet friendly and thoroughly amused voice reached her ears.

* * *

Flashback

"Here's a little gift for ya kid. It wouldn't be fair if you empty handed would it?" Kisame whispered and flashed his insanely sharp teeth at her in a grin. His large blue hand grabbed her own tiny ones and dropped a blade in them.

"No, it wouldn't be fair." Sakura smiled at the mist-nin who ruffled her long pink head of hair and disappeared into the fog of dirt.

"You better win yeah." Deidara came into view and smiled at the little girl before him.

"Oh, I plan to." She smirked and skillfully twisted and turned the kunai with her fingers.

End of Flashback

* * *

"Tch...I still can't fucking believe you beat me." Hidan hung his head in shame for a brief moment. Then suddenly his confidence was back, as if it never gone.

"Well, whatever. I'm gonna kick your sorry little ass of yours next time we spar." He brought his hands to slick back a few silver strands that were out of place.

"Like you could even come close to touching this fine piece of ass, let alone fucking kick it." Sakura said, making her way to the exit of the training grounds. Where Kisame and Deidara were waiting, matching grins on both their faces.

Hidan let out a bark of laughter at her statement, which he had recently said.

"Nice job kid."

"yeah, never seen Hidan get his ass handed to him like that."

Sakura was glowing with pride by the time they both finished their complements.

"Why you fucker! I'm going to chop off all that girly hair of yours when you sleep!"

Deidara held his palms up in surrender, a pout on his handsome features. But it's hard to look sorry when the mouths on his palms were grinning like crazy.

"Hey hey, break it up. C'mon, I just came back from a good mission from leader. Which means I just bought some seriously good food. Anyone want some?" Kisame called out, already walking towards the kitchen with Sakura.

Deidara looked at Hidan. Who stared back.

"Wait for us yeah!" The blonde rushed, wanting to catch up the pinkette and the mist-nin. Hidan quickly followed after his fellow Akasuki member.

* * *

Sakura was hidden away in her blankets, cuddling with her pillow and contemplating the events of today. In truth, the spar was great. She was able to get exercise and a rush from fighting with Hidan...and that's what's frightening her. Each day she spent with the organization that imprisoned her, she was less hostile towards them. Which was not good, at all. She still needed to escape, but first, undo the jutsu that got her here in the first place. The pinkette grumbled and burrowed deeper into the blankets.

The whole friendly thing with these criminals were getting worse. How? Well, the had lunch together. Lunch! From what she's noticed, the Akatsuki didn't eat together. So why were they now? THe more she thought about it, the more her temples started throbbing.

Sakura felt a headache coming on. With a sigh and a promise to formulate a full proof escape plan tomorrow morning, She let herself sleep.

* * *

Hope you liked it! OMYGOODNESS! almost 60 reviews! Thank you all so much! As always, Lots of love and thanks to...

Nativebeauty420 (yay! new reviewer! hehe , yes...they are sexy criminals. ;) )

Weasle-chan (haha, thank you for gracing me with your awesome review weasle-chan)

Shadow wolf (hehe, I'm happy i made you laugh)

cherryjubilee

Mordred's Eternal Lover (new reviewer! I hope you like my story so far :D )

LoVeLeSs AnD bEtRaYeD (Another new reviewer...goodness...I feel so blessed :) )

Trunksmybaby (aw, your review and the fact hat you're reading my story already makes me feel so special, hehe, you're so sweet!)

Emzy2k11

Sakura no Polen

Dina Sana (I love your reviews...I think you've reviewed in every chapter, thank you!)

Raganore Nevermore (I hope this fight scene reached your expectations. I've never been good at writing action scenes.)


	8. M e r c y

I still do not own Naruto - VZ

* * *

Sakura never thought she would see the light of day again. But here it was, almost blinding her with its bright rays. Well, it has been a while since she'd last glimpsed any beams of real light. It was much better than the florescent light bulbs in the underground base. Nevertheless, she opened her eyes and enjoyed the feel of warmth on her face. Sakura noticed the white puffy clouds that dotted the vast blue sky.

The pinkette' s eyes didn't linger on the heavens above her long. Instead, her attention was caught by the sheer amount of green everywhere. The trees, leaves and grass looked so fresh and alive. She didn't care if she looked absolutely silly. Gazing at everything in sight as if she'd only seen it for the first time. But she justified her eager behavior. It has been so long since she breathed in crisp, fresh air. It was much better than the muggy and stifling oxygen that Sakura had been living on in the underground base for the past few weeks.

And now here she was, above ground. Standing in a clearing full of grass and wild flowers. Sakura wasn't blind. She could see a chance when she saw it. Green eyes scanned her surroundings, making sure the two members of Akatsuki were a good enough distance from her. She could do it, run so fast and long that she'd have a marvelous head start. Was it the smartest or safest escape plan? Nope.

Yet it was right here, just in front of her.

And so, she ran. Pumping large amounts of chakra into her legs, pushing herself. To go faster, and faster, past the point of breakneck speed. She didn't bother turning around to check if her captors were even pursuing her. Sakura just kept on going, trying to cover as much distance as she could.

But before she had the chance to take another step, a hard body collided with hers.

"Mmph!...ow…" She muttered while rubbing her forehead from her perch on the ground. Where she had fallen, thanks to the mist-nin standing before her.

"Going somewhere kid?" He asked in his usual gruff tone. Green eyes looked up and locked with his.

"No where in particular….I just felt like a run." Sakura said, still refusing to stand up and dust herself off. Frustration and anger filled her being, due to another failed attempt at escaping. The pinkette wanted nothing more than to sit and sulk. How was she going to get away from these criminals? And she still had the whole age-defying jutsu to undo.

"Uh-huh…" Kisame said unbelievingly.

"You weren't trying to escape or anything like that right?" He heaved his enormous sword over his shoulder and dropped to his knees in front of the pouting girl.

"Gee, why would I wanna do that? Hm? It's not like I'm a prisoner or something remotely close to that." Sarcasm coated her words and her eyes were narrowed into slits.

Sakura decided it was best to be hostile and bitter to the members of Akatsuki as much as possible. That way, they themselves would get irritated and most probably do the same. Hopefully…. then she wouldn't have to worry about getting anymore attached to them than she already was.

Unfortunately for her, it wasn't going to be that easy.

"Sarcasm doesn't suit ya kid. And I can't have you ditching us. Leader will most probably kill me if I let you…. and everybody else back at base." Kisame murmured the last part, a sheepish smile on his blue face.

A large blue hand lifted Sakura's pink bangs gently, and the mist-nin surveyed her forehead for any damages.

"I still don't understand why I have to be here on this mission with you guys. It's not like you need any help engaging others in battle before. Besides you have Itachi, I'm hardly of any use." The pinkette said with a sigh, swatting away Kisame' s hand in the process.

"You don't give yourself enough credit you know that? You ain't as weak as you think." He said as he ruffled her pink hair.

Sakura didn't know what to reply to that. She was getting more complements at her stay at Akatsuki than at her home. It was disconcerting to say the least.

"Anyways, I'm gonna leave ya with Itachi. I sensed some chakra signatures a couple miles ahead."

Insert viscous grin here.

Sakura couldn't help the chuckle that left her lips. Kisame saw this and patted her head for good measure.

"See ya soon kid, and try not run away anymore. It's a pain to keep up with those tiny little legs of yours." And with that said, he left to find their target. Who was a standard shinobi that has defected from one of the hidden villages in attempt to find more power by recruiting. In the end, he's been causing quite a stir in some of the nearby villages with the help of his group, a small organization of common criminals and other defected shinobi. Sakura had heard all this information from Pein himself.

It surprised her that the leader of Akatsuki wanted her to join Kisame and Itachi on a mission. In the beginning, she said no. But simply shaking her head and refusing to go made Pein chuckle and merely brief them on their assignment. Sakura hated that about him. Thinking that he was above them, that he was Kami himself in the flesh. It was completely vile and horrid for a man to claim to be a god. A bird's cry pulled the pinkette out of her thoughts.

Sakura shifted from her seat on the grassy earth, looking around and finding no one in sight.

Wait…..no one?

Elation and glee filled her tiny little body.

Just as she was about to stand up and leave, a deep, velvety voice halted her in her tracks.

"Where do you think you're going?"

_Oh damn_. Wait, since when did she cuss?

_Hidan must be rubbing off on me more than I thought._

"Sakura..." Itachi called to her.

"Hm?" She answered, not looking at the missing-nin in the eye.

"My sharingan is not activated." He stated.

Green eyes immediately snapped up to meet his own dark ones.

For a brief moment, Sakura was lost in his deep, dark gaze.

But she finally regained her senses when an almost-smirk made itself known on his lips.

Sakura narrowed her eyes and gave the Uchiha the most aggressive look she could manage.

Sadly, being a child, trying to appear mean or hostile is virtually impossible.

"What do you want Uchiha?" She asked, her tone not exactly acidic but it was far from nice.

A dark brow arched at her behavior.

"Have I done something to upset you?" The man before her questioned as he lowered his body to sit on the ground next to her.

"…Not exactly." Was her uncertain reply.

"Hn…"

It was silent for a while. The medic-nin decided to break it by asking-

"Why aren't you helping Kisame? Isn't this part of your mission?"

The dark haired man next to her ran his hand through his hair before answering.

"Our mission entails teamwork. That is why we split into two groups. Kisame is merely ambushing their camp and reducing their numbers. Our job is to exterminate the target. "

"Ah…."

Once again, silence filled the space between them.

This time, it was Itachi who broke it.

"I've been craving sweets lately." He muttered.

Of all the things she expected him to say, this was the least anticipated.

"Um….okay?" The medic-nin replied with a shrug of her dainty shoulders.

"Especially dango, they are my favorites." Itachi went on, observing the pinkette for any reactions to his words. There was only one way to remedy his suspicions, and this was it.

"Yeah, I like them too." Another shrug.

"I have been saving a plateful of them, unfortunately…..they have disappeared."

"How sad, I haven't seen-" She stopped speaking. A steady blush was making its way to her milky white cheeks. Not from anger but from embarrassment.

"Oh….."

Itachi nodded and smiled at the sheepish girl next to him.

In truth, he wasn't mad or even annoyed that she ate his favored sweets. If anything, he was quite happy that they could share one thing in common. Even if it's simply their preference in snacks.

"It's not a problem. Although, It'd be much preferable if we share instead. Dango is, after all my favorite type of sweets." He allowed himself to smile, just a bit.

Hardly a tilt of his lips, but still. It was much better than the emotionless mask that he wore the majority of the time.

"Alright-" But before she could thank Itachi, a kunai embedded itself right in between her fingers.

"What?" Sakura murmured before plucking the blade from the earth.

"A kunai." The Uchiha declared, then activating his sharingan. It doesn't matter how many times she'd seen it before. It still gave her goosebumps, seeing his vivid red eyes.

"We are under attack."

It was true, the medic-nin finally tore her gaze away from Itachi's captivating eyes to see the many shinobi forming a circle around them. Trapping them in.

"Oh Kami..." Sakura breathed.

There must have been more than thirty nin surrounding them, each looked quite bloody but very much livid. Well, the dark liquid seeping from numerous wound on each of the men encircling them was proof that Kisame had managed to get to them first. Regrettably, it seems like he only nicked them. Which was highly unbelievable, considering the mist-nin's power and rank.

"Where's Kisame?" She whispered to Itachi who had shifted to a fighting stance behind her.

Red eyes scanned the area, then stopped. There, a mile or so away from them. Was Kisame battling with the target.

"Hn...It seems like there has been a change of plans." Itachi handed Sakura another kunai from his pocket. Taking note of the men who were eyeing Sakura rather crudely. The Uchiha then promised to make their deaths slow and painful.

"What do you mean?" The pinkette skillfully handled both blades, one on each hand. After getting comfortable with her new weapons, she fell into her stance.

"Kisame is battling with the target, I assume he was not out recruiting in one of the villages as our information had stated. There is a possibility he had stayed at the camp instead. This must be why his nin are here, bloodied by Kisame. And at this moment, he is attempting to fight my partner instead."

As Itachi spoke, he started trapping several nin under a simple genjutsu. Bodies started falling to the ground, this of course, signaled the rest of the members to take action. Sakura then took it upon herself to send a kunai straight for a man's throat. A spurt of blood and a dying gurgle indicated he was dead. After removing the blade implanted in the man's neck, the medic-nin ducked and dodged the various senbon needles flying after her. She even managed to catch a few and send them flying back. Each finding their target and lodging itself into her enemies' bodies. Green eyes followed each man's movements, in the battle field, there was no room for carelessness or mistakes. She had to fully aware of her environment, if not...her life could be at stake.

Suddenly, a masked nin approached her and brandished a katana. He was bulky and massive, and appearing very frightening and intimidating. Of course, she couldn't let him know she was the slightest bit afraid. Through the eyeholes of his mask, Sakura could see his eyes. They looked so cold and detached, She inwardly shivered. But now was not the time to cower in fear. And so, she charged. Even going as far as to enhance her speed and strength with chakra.

Sparks flew from their blades whenever they clashed. But thanks to her chakra enhanced strength, Sakura was able to drive her enemy a couple feet back with a few steps. Although she only had a kunai and nothing more, it was clear who was winning their battle. With one final push, she forced the man several yards back. And while he was slightly muddled thanks to her actions, the pinkette executed a perfect front flip towards her opponent with grace. She did so to keep her movements erratic and unpredictable, that way blades and needles have a lesser chance of hitting her. Since there were still many coming her way. After finishing her flips and landing right above her enemy, Sakura then shoved her weapon through his ribs and into a lung. Blood welled up at the wound and started flowing profusely. The man's eyes were full of fear, fear of actually dying.

Sakura simply pulled out her blade and sent some chakra to her fingertips. After which, she touched the man's temple lightly. His eyelids drooped then shut tight, already asleep thanks to her chakra. She didn't want the man to die slowly and painfully, no matter how much he deserved it. And so, she had chosen to shut his brain down. So that he will no longer be aware of the pain and suffering he might've gone through.

She turned away from the gruesome sight and opted to rejoin the battle. but before she could, someone had scooped her tiny body up and started running. Confusion filled her, even more so when she realized it was Itachi who was carrying her bridal style.

"Itachi? What are you-"

She wasn't able to finish her question. Because she noticed a kunai headed for them. And attached to the blade, was...

...dozens of exploding tags.

Sakura's green eyes widened then locked with Itachi's red gaze.

Was he saving her?

Before she could contemplate any longer, the tags detonated...

...Right after embedding itself into Itachi's back.

His eyes widened slightly, feeling the foreign object lodging itself into his body. If she wasn't so close to him then she might've missed it.

The Uchiha threw her body ahead of himself , Sakura was so shocked she didn't even bother to land on her feet. This resulted with her body strewn across the ground, a good distance away from Itachi.

"No-" She whispered with tears in her eyes.

BOOOOOOOOM

The most violent and deafening explosion Sakura has ever witnessed had just erupted right before her eyes, taking Itachi with it.

* * *

Hehe, my very first cliffy! Hope you liked it. And as always, Lots of Love and thanks to...

KyuubiHost (yey! new reviewer! I updated early after I read your review. I'm happy that my story has been helping you with your pets and what not. Although this chapter was a bit bloody and sad, it'll be MUCH MUCH MORE happy in the next. But I'm not spoiling. I hope it's okay though :D )

Trunksmybaby (hehe, thanks for your last review! and yes, they are super sexy!)

Sakura no Polen (Hope you liked the itasaku moment! :) )

Gimana Nanti51 (yey new reviewer! hope you liked it! )

Rganore Nevermore (...i feel like the fighting scene here wasn't as good as the last chapter...but i hope you still enjoyed reading! hehe)

Shadow Wolf (Thank you! :D i've never really written any fighting scenes before, i hope this one was okay too.)

Kalafina94 ( *returns hug* nah, you're waaaaaay sweeter.)

LoVeLeSs AnD bEtRaYeD (thanks for saying my fighting scene was awesome, i hope you like this one as well! ;) Love your profile pic by the way)

Akemi Spangler (New reviewer again! Oh Lord, I feel so blessed.)

Emzy2k11 (hope you like it!)

Dina Sana (oh my faithful reviewer *hugs* hope you like it.)

DarkNinjaz07 (really? hehe, i feel so touched :) )

Till next time! - VZ


	9. I n v i n c i b l e

I don't own Naruto - VZ

* * *

A clap of thunder awoke Sakura, bringing her out of her dreamless sleep. She gasped aloud and looked everywhere. Wondering why she was currently bundled up in blankets and how had she gotten in here in the first place. Tentatively, she removed herself from the cocoon of warmth. Taking each step with care, Sakura roamed the small room she was in. It was made completely out of wood, most probably a hut or a wooden house of some kind. The pinkette saw the doorway and pushed against it, the entrance of the hut creaked open. Revealing the forest, tall trees surrounded the area. Which were dripping with water. Green eyes looked up, only to see dark, angry clouds. The rain didn't seem like it was ending anytime soon, for the onslaught of water seemed endless.

The pinkette was very much confused now; questions and thoughts were racing through her mind so fast it almost hurt. Where were Kisame and Itachi? How did she get here? Why was she all alone? Deciding it was the safest thing to do at the moment, Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated on searching for any other chakra signature. It was silent for a few moments, and then her eyes snapped open.

She felt it…somewhere in this room was a chakra signature. It was faint and weak, almost undetectable.

She then stepped closer to her target, and ended up walking to the corner of the small wooden hut.

Confusion filled her for a second, wondering why there was a large pile of blankets all stacked up in a corner. So she analyzed the pile of sheets before deeming it safe enough to probe and touch.

Once she poked a side of the pile, a muffled groan was heard.

Yet she was frightened of being alone in a hut in the middle of nowhere She had to do something, especially when there is an unidentified groaning thing out there with you. Sakura steeled herself for her next course of action.

And so, she grabbed the blankets and pulled, showing the last thing, no person, she expected to see.

Right there, wrapped in gauze and blood stained bandages was Itachi Uchiha. Who looked immensely fatigued and pale, more so than usual. His handsome (even she had to admit that) face was bruised and full of scratches. Looking further down to survey the damage, the medic-nin tugged the piece of cloth lower.

Displaying a bloody torso filled with gashes, abrasions and even patches of burnt skin. What made it worse was the lack of treatment for his wounds. If she left him like this, his injuries would end up festering and maybe even lead to his death.

For a brief moment, her heart stopped. Then it started beating again, only much more erratically than before. Itachi Uchiha dying? Actually dying? The very thought gave her a pang of fear.

But how can a shinobi like Itachi just die? Sakura bit her lip in concentration, wondering what had caused this.

For next few minutes, it was occupied by a heavy, tense silence. Then, a loud clap of thunder boomed throughout the forest. It's deafening sound rattled the pinkette' s teeth. Wait…. deafening…. sound….

Suddenly, the fog that has clouded her mind cleared instantly. Leaving Sakura aware, of everything.

All at once, the memories flooded back to her.

The many kunai and senbon needles headed her way…the shinobi she had killed with mercy….the many, many exploding tags…..attached to the kunai….that had impacted on Itachi' s back….

"Oh Kami…" She breathed.

She did this to him, if it wasn't for her carelessness. Maybe they would've made out completely unscathed. But because of her lack of attention, Itachi was here, bloodied and broken, paying for her mistakes. A pound of lead dropped into her stomach, making her feel nauseous. Not only that but guilt had crept up on her as well.

Green eyes stared down at the man who lay hurt before her.

As powerful a feeling as guilt is, determination is stronger.

With as much strength as she could manage, Sakura knelt beside the Uchiha and set placed her tiny hands right above his abdomen. Hovering over one of the largest gashes she has ever had the chance of seeing before. After breathing in and out several times, trying to calm herself and keep her emotions in check. The medic-nin set out to work. Pumping chakra into her palms and into Itachi' s damaged skin and torn muscle. She made sure to disinfect his wounds by flaring up her chakra ever so often to kill any unwanted bacteria or infection. The last thing she wanted was for him to suffer from festering skin. Once she had finished mending his inners, Sakura started working on the surface. Making sure not to leave a trace or reminder of his sacrifice.

Without her consent, tears started pooling in her eyes. She growled in frustration, it's much harder to heal a patient when your eyesight is blurry.

So the pinkette quickly blinked them away, and returning to her task at hand the second her vision was clear again.

To her dismay, more tears fell from her eyes. This time, her frustration turned into anger then it finally transformed into pure, white-hot fury. Sakura hated herself in that instant, for not being able to remain level headed when she needed to be the most. Her emotions always got the better of her, why not now?

Before she knew it, she was sobbing. And then, knowing she can no longer keep her feelings in check, Sakura let the floodgates open.

Big, fat tears rolled down her cheeks and onto her patient, wetting his upper chest with salty water.

On top of that, words started leaving her mouth. Like her tears, they wouldn't stop or slow down. They just rushed out of her, like the flood of emotions she tried so hard to contain.

"Why? I don't understand Itachi…putting yourself in danger like that? How stupid can you possibly be?!" Her words started out soft, like a whisper. However, it ended with a loud snarl. Conveying how much rage she felt in that moment.

"I thought you were a prodigy?! A freaking genius some would even say. But no! You are the most idiotic, inane and foolish man I have ever met in my life!" Sakura stated, never once stopping her efforts to heal him. If anything, her heightened emotions only enhanced her power. Because of her sheer anger, adrenaline pumped through her veins. Aiding her chakra and even intensifying her healing procedure.

"That kunai was meant for me, and yet….you took the blade. Right through your back! I'm healing you right now Uchiha, I can feel your wounds. How deep and jagged they are!" Her voice was thick with emotion and her eyes narrowed.

Sakura was so focused on her job, She failed to notice a dark pair of eyes gazing at her beneath equally dark lashes.

"Did you see how many tags were hooked onto the kunai? Dozens….. did you hear? DOZENS! even you aren't invincible!" Sakura was almost done, just a few more scratches here and there…

So she sent one last humungous wave of chakra through her arms, past her palms and fingertips. The green glow of her chakra left her hands completely and melted into Itachi' s body. The pinkette could already see it's effects as it travelled around and in his system, healing and fixing anything broken. Finally, his body was free of any marks. It was once again clean and healthy.

She didn't care if she was dead tired, or if her chakra was depleted. Losing her strength, her chakra, even her chance of escape when her enemy was at his weakest. IT had been worth it. Besides, it was her fault in the first place. She was indebted to him because of that. And now, with her healing skills, she had done the impossible and restored Itachi Uchiha back to perfect health.

The medic-nin heaved a great sigh and said a few more words before she would be once again engulfed in darkness.

"I-i…..I just don't want to see you like that….just not for my sake…..I'm sorry for yelling Itachi." The pinkette wiped the remaining tears on her face and tried to stop her lip from quivering.

"I guess I should be thankful, don't get me wrong. I am, truly. It's just-" Before she could say another word, a pale hand gently grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her down. Instead of her head hitting the hard surface of the wood, it fell against something warm.

"Quiet.." The familiar velvety yet slightly hoarse voice of Itachi whispered in the shell of her ear.

Green eyes widened.

Sakura felt a finger tilt her chin upwards, causing her to face the man she had been trying to save just a while ago.

Dark, smoldering eyes regarded her. Sakura then admitted, although his vivid red eyes were captivating. His natural orbs were so much more mesmerizing.

"Sleep now Sakura, you need the rest." He lulled her with his voice and soon she felt her eyelid start to droop shut.

"But what about kisame?" She asked, not bothering to leave his warm embrace. Their position wasn't really scandalous or provocative. It was rather nice and comfortable.

Her head was on his left chest, and his strong arms were caging her in his warmth.

The pinkette quite liked it, so she snuggled a bit closer to Itachi. Who only welcomed her in his nest of blankets.

"Out, he brought us here a few days prior to today. I was fairly unwell to travel and he took it upon himself to take both of us to one of Akatsuki' s recuperating houses. " He answered the child in his arms while stoking her long pink hair.

"Oh….where is he now?" Sakura wondered.

"Searching for a doctor in a nearby village. You were asleep and we both did not wish to wake you. Although, since you mended me quite splendidly….I have no need for a healer."

His voice was calm and deep, already easing her worries for the night.

"Sleep now…" He continued to soothe Sakura with his voice and hands running through her hair.

"Hm…" She mumbled, a minute later, she was asleep.

Itachi stayed like that for the rest of the night, holding the girl who had healed, yelled and apologized to him in the span of a few hours.

* * *

Hope you all liked it, and lots of love and thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter!

Cherryjubilee (nah, of course I won't kill Itachi)

Shadow Wolf (Thanks it was my very first cliffy :D )

YuYu99 (Yey! New reviewer and Don't sulk! He's alive )

Raganore Nevermore (not exactly a dream but I hope it's okay ;) )

ItachiFanGirl185 (don't worry, I have a plot for this story. Sakura shall return to her size )

Dina Sana (Thanks )

Kalafina94 ( hehe, how long have you been staring at your computer screen? Anyways, thanks again for the long review hope you liked this chapter as well )

Emzy2k11 (hehe, don't worry , Itachi is still very much alive )

LoVeLeSs AnD bEtRaYeD (Thanks )

Sinister Blossom (yey new reviewer! Hehe, he ain't dead, don't worry. )

Twisted Musalih (Yet another new reviewer, thanks hope you liked it)

Sappheiros (hehe, yeh your'e right. I wouldn't kill Itachi like that :) and when i read your review, i noticed you had some really good ideas :) but i wanted him to really take the dive for Sakura. It builds up to the moment i just wrote in this chapter. And yeh, Itachi doesn't enjoy long painful deaths or fights. But since he does have a soft spot for Sakura-props to you for pointing that out-he wants to punish those who were eyeing her. anyways, hope you liked this chapter :) )

And everyone else! (guests and anonymous)

Till next time - VZ


	10. C h a n g e

I don't own Naruto - VZ

* * *

Itachi woke slowly, still weak from his earlier healing session with the pinkette. His lips tilted upwards at the memory of last night. His dark eyes scanned the room, finding nothing out of the ordinary; he let himself drift off to sleep once more. Yet before he could succumb to darkness, something caught his attention. Something…. soft…. no, not a something, a someone.

Itachi glanced at the body in his arms, seeing a head of pink hair, he was no longer alarmed. Having remembered the night before. The Uchiha relaxed and let the tension leave his body.

However, the girl within his embrace shifted.

Itachi deduced her next course of action was due to the cold, rainy weather. Maybe it was because of the lack of blankets, although there were quite a lot of them. For Sakura ended up clutching his form closer to hers, bringing their torsos to flush against each other. At first, he was shocked. The body that he held was not the same one he held just hours ago. It wasn't that of a child's but a grown woman's.

Itachi couldn't be sure though, all he could see was the top of her head. And so, he peeled the covers off her slowly. Only to reveal Sakura…..all grown up.

The dark haired man was so startled that he almost let out a gasp, instead he settled for his eyes to widen at the sight before him. And what a sight it was.

The pinkette looked so peaceful, her short pink hair surrounding her head like a halo. Itachi allowed his fingers to trace the curve of her neck, and then he moved on to her pink lashes that fanned out above her graceful cheekbones. Afterwards, he let his thumb ghost over her lips.

Despite the temptation to feel those lips even more thoroughly, he continued his inspection.

Dark eyes roved over her figure, finding even more proof that she was no longer a child.

What was this feeling? Itachi wondered, as he let his gaze wander her body. No, his gaze was not lecherous. In fact, it was admiring. He noticed that Sakura was fit and the very embodiment of a trained kunoichi. Flat abdomen, slender legs and….The rather soft swell of her breasts pressing against his chest. If Itachi were a lesser man, he would've ravished her there and then. Regardless of the fact that Kisame might be nearby.

Now that he observed her more closely, the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

She was not fully clothed, well…She used to be. If he remembered correctly from last night, He could recall her being fully dressed.

The Uchiha concluded it was thanks to her growth spurt just recently.

How did he not notice her unclad form was beyond him.

He didn't know if he should be thankful for her state of undress or he should be troubled that she is exposed like this. It elicited feelings in him that should not be there in the first place. No, he had no need of the comfort of a woman's body. He never did, but here he was, lusting after the slumbering girl-no, woman in his arms.

The medic-nin' s clothes (which Kisame had thoughtfully bought for her in the nearby village a while back) have been stretched beyond repair, the fabric were obviously meant for a ten year old body, not an adult's.

Her collar was torn, giving Itachi quite an eyeful if he dared to glimpse the flesh there. Not only that, but her skirt was ripped at both sides. Leaving her legs bare. The dark haired man almost groaned at the sight of her toned midriff, the material split into two. One to cover Sakura's chest and the other hid her from the hips to her upper thighs.

He had never felt so tempted before, just holding the scantily clad woman gave him such suggestive thoughts. Which was highly improper, especially since she held him in a tight embrace without her even knowing it. Itachi could feel every curve, outline and swell of her body. It would be inappropriate and completely unacceptable if he let this go on any further. Disregarding his want and need to carry on holding her this close, Itachi prepared himself to push her away. Gently removing Sakura's firm grip on his shoulders, he moved her away from himself. Making sure not to jostle her awake.

What the Uchiha did not know, was that Sakura Haruno was a cuddler.

Needless to say, she didn't let him push her away that easily. If anything, she made it much more difficult for the poor man. The pinkette grasped his form and wrapped both her legs around his waist. And it didn't just stop there, She pushed and pushed until her weight was on top of him. The end result was her straddling him, and nuzzling his neck like a cat in heat.

Itachi was very much conflicted.

Let this go on...or wake Sakura up.

She clung to him tighter, bringing their bodies even closer than before, if that was even possible.

...

Oh yes, he was _very_ much conflicted.

But before he can finally come to a decision whether to wake her up (since pushing her away just made things much more difficult) or to enjoy the moment while it lasted. Sakura's eyelids fluttered open, revealing a stunning shade of green.

"Itachi?"

* * *

Hope you all liked it, so sorry if it's too short. I'll update soon though :) don't forget to review!

Lots of love and thanks to...

YuYu99 (aww, you love me? you're such a sweet heart! *hugs YuYu99*)

Coco ( :3 )

Sappheiros (Thanks and I hope you liked this chapter. You were, after all my inspiration. I LOVE your ideas. I hope you don't mind that I use it though J)

Haleth (thanks J I'm really honored that you like my story so much. Don't worry I'll try to update as soon as I can J)

Dina Sana ( sorry I didn't udate sooner, hope you liked it though. Even though it was really short.)

Nerdasaur (yay! New reviewer J thanks and I hope you liked this chapter.)

Raganore Nevermore (Yeahp, Itachi is currently cuddling to Sakura LOL)

Akemi Spangler (yay! New reviewer!)

xbLoOmZx (Another new reviewer! I'm so blessed! I hope you liked it!)

Sakura no Polen (When I read your review I was like 'Woah, so many thank you's ' Hehe, no problem. I hope you liked this chapter too. :D )

Twisted Musalih (I'm glad you loved it J )

LoVeLeSs AnD bEtRaYeD (yeahp! He's alive!)

Sinister Blossom (I'm happy I made you happy J hehehe)

a simple fan ( Really? Hehe, I'm happy you like my story so much. And you'll find out if Sakura is going to escape or not ;) )

Emzy2k11 (hope you liked this chapter, so sorry if it's too short)

Till next time! - VZ


	11. F e e l

I don't own Naruto - VZ

* * *

When the pinkette in his arms mumbled his name, Itachi felt somewhat pleased that she looked and sounded so comfortable. As if she was content to remain there in his embrace. The Uchiha almost smiled at the unlikely yet pleasant thought.

"Itachi?" Sakura said, this time slightly louder to get his attention.

Dark eyes focused on the curious, languid face before him. And again, he was struck by her innocence and beauty. But of course, in their line of work, such purity can't last for long. Though he had seen her kill, it didn't mean she must thoroughly enjoy it. And he could relate, just because he had exceptional skill, it didn't mean he was fond of murdering. The fact that she is a medic-nin, only justifies her actions on the battlefield just days before. Itachi had seen her kindness when faced with an opponent. He was a witness to her compassion, when she had numbed one of the enemies. Making sure to make his death swift and as painless as possible. It only made her more commendable in Itachi 's eyes.

"Itachi?..." Sakura's finger poked him in the cheek, trying once more to get his attention.

A feeling of warmth came into being and spread throughout his body. To see her act so at peace with him, this close, was wondrous. Considering who they were and what he's done in the past.

"I'm here Sakura, thanks to you." Itachi reached out and brushed a pink strand away from her face. He wasn't so openly affectionate, but for her he'd make an exception.

"Oh…. well, if it wasn't for me…. you wouldn't even get hurt in the first place." Green eyes were suddenly filled with sadness and remorse. Sakura looked away from his dark gaze, ashamed of her carelessness.

Naturally, he wouldn't let her get away from him that easily.

"No, it doesn't matter who the blade was meant for. What is of real importance is that you've saved me." He persisted, gently taking hold of her face. Turning her head towards him with both hands on either side of her porcelain cheeks. The Uchiha looked at her with so much tenderness and appreciation, Sakura couldn't help but feel even worse.

"Stop being so forgiving. I wish you'd be angry with me or maybe even upset. That way I'd get what I deserve." She muttered, trying to remove Itachi' s grip with her own hands.

"What you deserve is my thanks, what I don't deserve is your mercy."

His hands then detached themselves from her face and entwined with her own.

The pinkette looked at their interlaced fingers then at the Uchiha' s handsome face.

"…Alright, and sorry again for shouting at you last night. I just couldn't help but feel so pathetic, I was negligent and look what happened to you!" She gestured to his bandaged yet completely healed body.

A beat of silence past between them before he spoke.

"Do not live in the past, It's done. Just be happy that we are both alive and well. If you had taken the kunai, then who would heal you? It's much better this way." He said while tightening his hold on her hands.

"But you shouldn't have sacrificed yourself." Sakura said, though her voice had lost its conviction. Already convinced by Itachi' s words.

"…..You were worth it." He simply said.

Green eyes widened then met with his dark gaze, finding nothing but the truth.

The air was instantaneously filled with tension and suspense.

Itachi didn't say anything, just looked at her with his smoldering eyes. Daring her to reply to his remark.

Sakura had no idea what to say to his sweet and rather bold statement.

So instead, she opted to lay back and stretch. Hopefully her nervousness would eventually ebb away, although he looked quite relaxed. As if he didn't just say something so fervent, his voice so full of passion. Something she didn't think he was even capable of.

And so, the pinkette sat up and raised her arms in the air. She reached for the sky and let out a smile when she heard a satisfying 'crack' from one of her sore limbs. But before she could move another muscle, a choke got her attention. The medic-nin regarded the man under her, thinking he was still weak from last night.

"Are you alright Itachi?" She asked and leaned closer, waiting for his answer.

No, Sakura was no longer uncomfortable in his presence. She wasn't even worried waking up on top of him. She did after all; sleep with him in a nest of blankets. Besides, she had a feeling that he was a gentleman. He wouldn't take advantage of a girl, especially a ten year old.

Oh, if only she knew.

The dark haired man almost gasped at the sight before him. Sakura stretching, moving her body so alluringly. And she wasn't even doing it to entice him, which only made him even more aroused than before. Together with the sheer amount of skin exposed, it was clearly too much for him.

"Ah….I'm uh, fine." Oh Kami, he was stuttering. He mentally slapped himself.

"Right…." She didn't look convinced.

Itachi wondered how long it would be before she would realize her growth spurt. A gust of cold air blew into the hut through the slightly open door.

No, not long. He thought.

"Geez, it's so cold. Has it still been raining?" The medic-nin asked.

He was afraid of stuttering once more, so her decided to merely nod his head.

Sakura wondered why she was freezing cold. It's not like she was wearing nothing, sure she wore a skirt just the night before but it shouldn't be this drafty.

Pinkette looked down, thinking it must've ridden up when she was asleep. It was a habit of hers, moving around and cuddling whenever she slept.

To her utmost surprise and mortification, Sakura found that her skirt was ripped on both sides.

But why-

…..

Wait…

Could it be?

Her hands disentangled themselves from Itachi' s and patted her body.

It is! She was back!

Sakura was so elated and happy, but then the moment shattered once she registered the Uchiha staring at her. Who was also currently in between her legs.

And so, She did whatever most teenage girls would do when half naked on top of an infamous criminal.

She screamed.

It was ear splitting and Itachi winced when she finished. But then Sakura opened her mouth again, with his swift reflexes, he covered her lips with his hand before she can deliver another loud shriek.

Silence.

...

A very awkward silence.

Then a very large nin with an equally large sword threw open the door.

"Hey! what the hell is hap-" The mist-nin's eyes went wide and his jaw slack. He was so shocked by the sight before him that he dropped his weapon with a resounding 'thud'.

Once again, silence. This time, it was much more awkward then before.

"K-kid?" Kisame stammered. Wondering how could the child he was so fond of, turned into one hell of a woman overnight.

"Kisame." Her voice was muffled by Itachi's hand. She then promptly removed it and distanced herself from the dark haired nin. Unfortunately, giving the other Akatsuki member an eyeful of creamy skin.

His bluish cheeks flushed and turned into shade of purple after seeing such a sight.

"So you're back huh? Guess I can't call you kid anymore." He said, trying to break the tense silence.

The pinkette smiled at his attempt and inwardly thanked him for it. She could always count on the mist-nin to lighten up the room.

"But how didja do it? Did you make some kind of just to counteract the previous one?" Kisame picked up his sword from the wooden floor and hefted it up on his massive shoulder.

"Yes, I am quite curious as well." Itachi added from his place on the ground, surrounded by blankets. Sakura could feel blood rushing up to her cheeks. It was completely embarrassing, waking up practically nude on top of Itachi Uchiha! Of all people in the world...

How she did not realize her predicament sooner was unclear to her.

Nevertheless, Sakura tried to forget it and thought back. How did this happen? It was definitely not on purpose. She had used all her strength and energy on Itachi. She barely had any chakra left for herself. Last night's efforts left her tired and all her chakra reserves were depleted. Wait...chakra...energy...jutsu...

"I got it!" She said excitedly, her green eyes shining with delight.

Kisame gestured for her to continue and his partner stayed silent, waiting for her to explain.

"I healed Itachi last night, mending all his wounds and injuries. I treated even the smallest of scratches with my chakra, depleting it exponentially. Anyways, the age defying jutsu requires a vast amount of chakra to maintain the user's appearance. And since I was drained of it the night before, I couldn't prolong the jutsu any longer." Sakura said with a grin. Of course, she didn't inform them about the rouge-nin's interference which must've modified her shishou's justu as well. The medic-nin would come up with another hypothesis and maybe even some theories on what else could occur. She was well aware of her master's jutsu and she had just explained how it had worn off. Even so, the clash of techniques could still alter her master's jutsu.

A grey blanket was thrown and landed in a heap all over her feet. Sakura looked up to see Kisame's sharp toothed grin.

"You better cover up kid, wouldn't want anyone eyeing ya on our way back to base." He said wickedly.

At his words, the pinkette pondered on when she would escape. A smart ninja would've done so last night. When the enemy was nearly dying, unaware of their prisoner making a run for it. But then again, Sakura knew in her heart she felt no regret. She did the right thing,it was her fault. She owed him her life, in exchange she gave his back.

"Yeah well, I can't help looking so good." She said impishly, already used to bantering with the mist-nin. Who only rolled his eyes and left the room to give her some privacy. Itachi did the same, although much more slowly. And before he left, he let his gaze wander over her body. Sakura really did blush this time.

By the time he finished his inspection, he turned and left. But not before sending her a lingering look.

As she wrapped the blanket around her form, she wondered if it was just her imagination. Did his eyes actually linger on her form? Was his gaze really heated and smoldering as it felt?

Sakura clutched the grey material tighter around her body, promising herself that she would flee soon. Before long, she would see the gates of konoha. Yet, why did her heart ache at the thought of leaving Akatsuki?

* * *

Hope you liked it :) anyways, lots of love and thanks to...

Kyah-chang (New reviewer! Hehe,thanks and don't worry, I ain't giving up on this fic. ;) )

Tavyshea (New reviewer! In Love? Aw you're so sweet ;) )

xbLoOmZx (Yes, yes it was very mean to put Itachi in a situation like that hehehe LOL )

Sakura no Polen (Hope you like this update my faithful reviewer :) )

YuYu99 (AWWW, amazing author? You're sweet as candy girl :) )

Akemi Spangler

Shadow Wolf

Dina Sana

Raganore Nevermore (Yeah, when I was about to write this chapter, I imagined his face going like this O_O hehehe)

Sakuraflower15 (Yet another new reviewer ! yey!:) )

Emzy2k11 ( hope you like it! :D )

KyuubiHost (sorry the last chappie was too short for ya, hope this one makes up for it :) )

Kalafina94 ( *grins widely* hope you liked this chappie :) hehe, yet another long review? Geez, you put so much time and effort for me girl J it makes me feel all special and stuffs. Anyways, thanks for the critique, actually, I'm just 15. This is my first time writing. I'm happy you really like my work girl :D)

LoVeLeSs AnD bEtRaYeD

Trunksmybaby (S'okay if you didn't review last chapter, I hope you liked it though…hehe, yes, he is getting turned on. But he won't let you know that though ;) )

Till next time! - VZ


	12. I n - y o u r - d r e a m s

I don't own Naruto - VZ

* * *

As the trio neared their destination, the medic-nin was lost in her own thoughts. Pondering on the last few days of their trip back to base. The journey back to the underground base was awkward to say the least. In Sakura's opinion, it was mostly due to Itachi' s heated looks and lingering gazes. She tried to ignore the way his eyes seem to follow her every move, she really did. Yet it was difficult to do so when his stare was so intense. Although, whenever Sakura was brave enough to return his looks, She could see something else. Something that resembled affection, maybe even a bit of tenderness. However, She was not naïve to think so. Maybe her eyes were just deceiving her. It seems so impossible, Itachi Uchiha feeling something other than amusement and tolerance for her presence. The pinkette sighed, fiddling with the sleeve of her new yukata.

It was silly really, how adamant Kisame and Itachi were. Both Akatsuki members wouldn't let her leave the hut until she was properly clothed. In all honesty, it was rather thoughtful and sweet. The mist-nin chose to watch over her while his partner set off for the nearest town. Where he bought a few dresses for her to wear. Sakura was relieved at first, happy that she wouldn't have to trek all the way back to the base in nothing but her tattered clothes and a grey blanket. But then, she noticed the colors of the garments Itachi had bought for her.

Red, black and white.

It irritated her that he made use of Akatsuki' s color scheme. Sakura felt like she might as well be wearing a collar or sign that read 'Akatsuki' s property'.

But nevertheless, She put them on and was surprised that they fit her so well. The pinkette wondered how on earth did he know her size. She shrugged, thinking it was just luck that he got such an accurate size of clothes for her.

Oh, if only she knew.

Looking at her clothed form, she realized that Itachi had taste. The yukata was simple; the silky black fabric covered her body quite nicely. The sleeves were edged with pristine white, so was the hem and neckline. The colors were naturally dull, but the brilliant red obi sash tied around her slim waist brightened it significantly.

Once again, Sakura felt it. The feeling whenever someone has his or her eyes on you. She tore her gaze away from her body and looked behind her.

Green clashed with black.

The pinkette inwardly screamed. He was doing it again! Staring at her so intensely it made her doubt whatever she thought of him before. What happened to the stoic and cold man he used to be? What changed? It was entirely irritating; perhaps he was only doing this to irk her. It was utterly unimaginable, for the dark haired man to actually take an interest to her. Sakura noticed his exterior may seem nonchalant and composed, but his eyes were the complete opposite.

No, she felt absolutely nothing when she felt his stare.

Pink brows furrowed in confusion, why did she feel like she was lying to herself?

"You can do this. You can do this. You can do this." The medic-nin kept repeating these four words, in hopes it will give her the much-needed courage to accomplish such a difficult task.

Kisame, Itachi and herself had just returned from their mission and both men had left to report to Akatsuki' s leader. Most likely to inform him of what had happened during their time away from the base.

Leaving the pinkette to fend for herself. Not that she was incapable of finding her way back to her room. It's just that for her to be able to get to her room, She'd have to cross the living room, where many of the Akatsuki members are currently lounging in. Though the door was still closed, she did not need to open it to know that Deidara, Sasori, and Hidan was in the premises. Sakura could sense their familiar chakra signatures through the thin layer of wood. Thank Kami Zetsu and Kakuzu were in their respective rooms.

_Maybe if I walk fast enough, they won't even notice._ She thought.

And so, she twisted the doorknob and pushed.

* * *

"You just don't get it, true art simply doesn't last more than a single moment." Deidara persisted while molding a few clay birds.

The red head across from him on the couch rolled his eyes.

"How foolish." Sasori muttered then returned to his business, carving another puppet.

The blonde's jaw dropped at his partner's reply.

"Foolish?! I'll have you know-"

The bomber was cut off by a very irritated silver haired nin.

"Shut up you bastard! Nobody cares about whatever the hell you think 'true art' is." Hidan gritted out through clenched teeth. His voice conveying how pissed of he was.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck…I want to crack some heathen skulls open, not listen to your views on art." The jashin worshipper wailed to no one in particular.

"Oh yeah? Well, nobody wants to listen to your whining!" Deidara quipped with a smug smile.

Purple eyes narrowed.

But before Hidan could deliver another scathing remark, the sound of a door opening got his and everyone else's attention immediately.

To say they were shocked when a much taller, much more developed Sakura Haruno walked through the door garbed in Akatsuki colors was a severe understatement.

"Holy hell." The silver haired-nin said, this time it was free of malice and spite. Instead, he uttered those two words with something akin to reverence.

The long pink waterfall of hair was gone, in its place was short cropped locks that framed her porcelain face perfectly. Leaving her swan like neck bare and looking very much alluring to every male in the vicinity. Though the black yukata might have appeared dreary and somber, it merely brought more attention to her creamy skin and her vibrant hair. And the striking red sash tied around her waist highlighted her slender body underneath all the black fabric. All in all, Sakura looked stunning. Well, she would've looked even more radiant if she would look up and show her expressive green eyes.

Now that Hidan thought about it, the pinkette wasn't even looking at him, or anyone else for that matter.

She kept her gaze glued to the concrete floor, away from every one else's.

Not only that, but she was even rushing to the door that led to another hallway.

The jashin worshipper decided it was best to intervene. He wouldn't let her leave that easily.

It seemed like every other Akatsuki member had the same idea, because not only Deidara but also Sasori stood up as well, fully intent on stopping the pinkette from escaping.

"Hey now, where the hell do you think you're going Sakura-chan?" Hidan stepped in front of her and hefted his blood red scythe over both his shoulders. After which, he gave the woman before him a cocky smirk. The two artists rolled their eyes at his crude words then went back to sitting on the couch, working on their respective projects. However, they did so with less concentration. Hazel and blue eyes frequently darted back and forth between their task and the medic-nin before them.

"Well?..." Hidan prompted.

Finally, green eyes lifted from the ground to meet with his purple ones.

"To my room, where else?" She said simply.

"How about mine for example?" He purred, leaning closer her, thoroughly invading her personal space.

Sakura's eyes widened and red stained her cheeks. There he goes again, teasing and flirting with her so easily. In truth, she was always so flustered whenever he'd do that. Of course, she'd rather suffer Gai' s extreme workouts than let Hidan know about her discomfort.

"In your dreams Hidan-kun." She taunted, stepping even closer to prove she wasn't scared or the least bit frightened by is proximity.

His smirk grew into a full blown grin.

"Oh, you have no idea."

His voice dropped to a much more sultry tone, and his gaze...his purple eyes looked absolutely sinful.

Sakura gulped nervously, not used to this type of flirting before. Hidan saw this and smirked knowingly.

"Hey Sakura, since when did this happen yeah?" Deidara cut in their verbal spar, standing up and gesturing to her nineteen year old body.

Inwardly, she was grateful to the blonde for his way, she wouldn't have to respond to Hidan's rather provocative comment.

"Oh, just a few days ago. The jutsu simply wore off." She said vaguely.

"That's convenient yeah." He said, his blue eyes never leaving hers.

"Haruno-san." A familiar mellow voice called out to her. The pinkette turned her attention to the red head, noting that he was working on one of his many puppets.

"Yes?" She questioned, curious to why Sasori of all people wanted to talk to her.

"I would like to spar with you."

"The fuck?! I wanted to spar with Sakura-chan first!" Hidan sneered at the puppet master.

"Hey! you already had your turn with Sakura, I was there when you were sparring with her." Deidara stated, pointing an accusing finger at the silver haired nin.

"So?! I can fight whoever the fuck I want!" The two argued with each other, forgetting about Sakura and Sasori in the process.

"Well? I would like a rematch..."

Sakura wondered if it was the smartest thing to do, fighting with Sasori of the red sand. Yes, she defeated him last time. But she had his grandmother to aid her when she was at a disadvantage. Despite that fact, She felt strong. Maybe even powerful enough to go against him. She was able to hold her own against Kisame and Hidan.

"You're on."

* * *

Hope you liked it! :)

Lots of Love and thanks to...

Sakura no Polen (Really? Amazing? Aw, I'm blushing :")

TeenageCrisis (New reviewer! Yey! Hehe, yeah…I would write you some smut if I was any good at it, trust me. And what's a lime?)

Gal Can't Help It (Yey! Yet another new reviewer J I try to update as much as possible. Since it's summer where I am, I have loads more time to focus on my story)

Shadow Wolf

Kisho101 (Another new reviewer? Goodness, I'm so blessed J thanks for all your complements!)

KyuubiHost (really? You've re-read my stories?! *hugsKyuubiHost* Awwwww)

Akemi Spangler ( yeh, I agree. I still want Kisame to call Sakura 'kid' I find it so sweet that way :) )

Emzy2k11 (I hope it's fast enough for ya girlie :))

YuYu99 (Of course he wouldn't rape poor little Sakura…..i think :O)

ThousandsOfMilesAway (thanks!)

Raganore Nevermore (Don't worry, there will certainly be some DeiSaku in the next chapter :) )

Trunksmybaby

Cherryjubilee

Dina Sana

Till next time - VZ


	13. R e m a t c h

I do not own Naruto - VZ

* * *

Sakura couldn't sleep that night; she ended up falling off the bed twice and hardly getting any shuteye at all. She knew her lack of rest was due to her nervousness for her upcoming battle with Sasori. What if he had come across newer, stronger puppets? Would she still be able to stand a chance then? Thoughts and worries buzzed in her head like a swarm full of bees.

So here she was, walking towards the training facility with a pair of kunai, courtesy of Kisame. The pinkette allowed her self to smile at the thought of the mist-nin. Who did nothing but comfort and ease her concerns whenever they arose.

She twisted the kunai with her practiced fingers, feeling jittery just thinking about her impending spar with the puppet master.

Unfortunately, Sakura had arrived at the training grounds of Akatsuki. With a sigh she threw open the door and stepped into the area. Surprised to see every Akatsuki member (except for Pein and his partner, they were out on a mission or so she's heard) waiting inside.

Shock must have been evident on her face because Kisame walked up to her and smiled his signature sharp-toothed grin.

"There wasn't anything better to do kid." He gestured to the remaining shinobi behind him.

"Don't worry though, the only reason I came was to watch you win." He said casually, sending a smirk towards the red head. Who rolled his eyes and made his way to the other end of the room, but not before eyeing Sakura.

The medic-nin smiled at Kisame and thanked him for his support; this earned her a pat on the head.

"Hey, why do you still do that? I'm not a child anymore." She stated, indicating her fully-grown body. Which was currently garbed in another yukata. This time, the dress was blood red, the lining was black and a white obi sash was tied around her waist.

Suddenly, the easy-going expression on the mist-nin' s face disappeared. A different, much more heated look replaced it.

"No, you most certainly are not." As opposed to his cheerful voice, his tone was instantly deeper, huskier.

Green eyes widened after registering his words.

But before Sakura could ponder on Kisame or his actions any longer, Deidara' s voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You better hurry up yeah, he doesn't like waiting." The blonde said, observing the exchange between his fellow member and the resident blossom with apprehension. Although he made sure to mask it with his lighthearted smile.

"Oh, right. Thanks Deidara-kun." Sakura replied and hurried to her spot across Sasori. She moved so fast, she failed to notice the red that stained the blonde's cheeks. Deidara was surprised she had said his name with such an intimate honorific. Considering the fact that they were enemies and she had stayed with them for barely a month. Spending even lesser time with the blonde artist. To say he was overjoyed when seeing Sakura back in her real form was a severe understatement. The second he saw the short pink hair, graceful neck and her brilliant green eyes just the day before, he knew he was damned. No, he was not positive and totally sure about his feelings concerning the pink haired medic-nin.

But thankfully, he wouldn't have to feel like he was committing pedophilia. Not that he was, technically. The bomber justified that she was actually a grown woman, trapped in a ten-year-old' s body thanks to an age defying jutsu. And now she was back, back to her older form. In all honesty, it wasn't just her body that called out to him, but also her personality. Her fiery side on the battlefield and her cunning, intelligent thoughts on many things, art was coincidently one of them, attracted him to her. Deidara shoved his hands into his pockets, hiding away their matching grins at this thought. Although, he couldn't conceal the goofy grin plastered on his face. Exactly like how he couldn't help the warmth that spread throughout his body, or when he shifted his gaze to stare appreciatively at her rump. Behind him, a very irritated Uchiha silently fumed at this occurrence. So did the remaining members of Akatsuki.

Meanwhile, a particular red head was having fun with a certain pinkette.

"Are you ready Sasori?" Sakura asked while commanding chakra to her limbs, as a precaution.

"For you Haruno-san? Of course." He replied easily, bringing up a hand and curling a finger in her direction. It may have looked like a taunt of some kind between opponents, but to Sakura, It looked rather…. suggestive. As if he wasn't summoning her for a fight, more like inviting her for other, intimate affairs. She was grateful for his distance, because blush was steadily forming on her cheeks.

Sadly, he had seen her reaction and was now reveling for eliciting such a reaction from her so easily. His lips tilted up into a sly smirk when he turned her won question against her.

"And you Haruno-san, are you ready?"

Although his words were formal and polite, his voice and gaze openly disagreed. Again it was as if he was speaking to her under different arrangements. Not in a combat zone but in other much more private settings.

The blush came back, this time redder than before.

Sakura even noticed the way he said her name, slowly and alluringly. His hazel eyes were sparkling with mischief.

Then it hit her, he was doing this to rile her up! This piece of information angered the pinkette. She assumed he was playing coy because he wanted to get her unfocused, effectively ruining her concentration and fogging her clear mind. She was made aware of his clever and cunning mind on the battlefield thanks to their fight before. Either that or he simply wanted to flirt with her. Which was a possibility that was very much unimaginable, let alone feasible.

Well, two can play at that game. She thought wickedly.

"Born that way Sasori."

The red head immediately noticed her change in behavior, observing the way her eyes darkened upon saying his name. He could've laughed at her nerve.

So she wanted to play did she?

Well, who was he to deny such an appealing request?

Especially if it was asked by a beguiling woman.

"Excellent."

Then, being the impatient man that he was, he brandished a scroll, a wicked glint in his hazel eyes.

Sakura skillfully handled her twin blades, readying herself for his upcoming attack.

In a puff of smoke, a gigantic puppet appeared. His body was huge and incredibly daunting, it's beady eyes were zeroed on her form. The medic-nin observed her opponent, taking note of his structure and all the possible weapons he has hidden inside himself. His wooden figure looked strong and thick, most likely reinforced with some kind of hard material. So that she would have trouble crushing it later on.

All in all, the puppet looked like a buff, heavy man. No blades, scorpion tail like she expected. But nevertheless, she would remain on alert. There's no telling how many surprises Sasori has got hidden underneath his creation's robe.

Sakura decided it was time to begin their spar, so she charged. Both kunai were gripped tightly in each hand as she ran towards the puppet and its master. Sensing her presence, the monster's jaw dropped. To her dismay, it released dozens of blades. Ranging from kunai to senbon needle to shuriken. Already adapted to his fighting style, she moved with grace. Arching her back to dodge a well-aimed kunai and avoiding each weapon with ease and dexterity. She also used her own weapons to deflect a few of his. Sparks erupted each time her kunai clashed against his, the sound echoing in the large room.

This went on for a while, until finally, he ran out of blades to throw at her.

Sakura then took this opportunity to throw her own, targeting the puppeteer instead of his toy.

With agility, Sasori moved his fingers and commanded his puppet take the hit for him. Unfortunately for him, his line of vision was blocked because of his puppet's size. So he didn't see the pinkette heading straight for him, a blade ready to end the battle.

Just as she was about to bring a close to their spar, Sasori summoned another puppet. One to hold her body so that he could have the upper hand. The medic-nin snarled at him, frustrated for not thinking ahead. Of course he would take caution and have another of his wooden tools to protect himself.

Suddenly, the wooden arms around her tightened, constricting her movements and blocking off her air supply. Sakura willed herself to move, to escape from her timber prison. Sadly, it was quite impossible when her body was not only restricted from movement thanks to the puppet, but her yukata as well. Now that she thought about it, it was extremely silly to fight in a dress. The kind that limited her movement and options.

The red head lowered the puppet he used as a shield down, commanding him to stand upright once more. He then made his way towards her at a leisurely pace. This infuriated the trapped girl even more than before. As if he didn't even have to worry about her breaking free.

Sakura looked around, searching for any feasible escape. Once again, she cursed herself for wearing such awful battle wear. Green eyes surveyed the blood red yukata with disdain. Yes, it was very pretty and most probably worth a lot of money. But if only it wasn't so long…An idea struck the pinkette like lightning.

She eyed the red head in front of her, leaning towards her with a mischievous grin on his boyish face.

"I like you like this Haruno-san, writhing and begging for release." He said hungrily, aware of its double meaning.

Her jaw almost dropped at his obvious implication.

She kept her lips sealed, not giving him a reply. Even when he stepped so close and the only thing separating them were wooden arms, she didn't utter a word. Not willing to give him the satisfaction of her discomfort. Sasori sensed this and his eyelids drooped slightly, perfecting the look of seduction. Sakura hated herself for the blood that rushed to her face, thinking it was impossible. For him to feel that way about her and that he only did this for the sake of riling her up.

"I bet I could make you scream your heart out."

Most would think his words were a deadly threat, maybe it was. Yet his voice was so low and his expression so intimate she wasn't so sure.

The medic-nin knew she had to get out of this sticky or rather, heated situation.

She looked ahead and saw Sasori, only less than centimeters away from her. If she was going ahead with her plan, she had to do it now.

And so, Sakura commanded her chakra to pool at her right leg. Filling it with strength for what she was about to do. After bending her leg at the knee, she jerked it forward. Effectively breaking the confining embrace the puppet held her in and shocking the red head that had to step back unless he wanted to suffer a painful blow to the head. After which she executed a back flip in mid-air and retreated a few yards away from her opponent, who looked rather surprised at her course of action.

Sakura was glad she had broken free, but at a price-her yukata had a ghastly rip that started at the hem and ended above her knee.

The pinkette turned her attention to the mist-nin and his partner briefly, knowing that they would be watching. She mouthed a quick sorry and flourished her kunai, continuing the rip and slitting the dress up till upper thigh. That way she could move much more freely and much more efficiently.

Sasori smirked and called both his marionettes back to him using his chakra strings.

Sakura then curled her finger to him, mocking his earlier action.

She then, spread her legs into a wider, much more stable stance. Indicating that she wasn't going anywhere and that she was far from beat.

Sasori looked absolutely feral that she was able to escape his puppet's grasp.

"That all you got? Oh great Sasori of the red sand?" She tsked, attempting to push his buttons like he just did to her.

"Tch….not even close." He snarled.

* * *

To be continued! hehe, anyways, it would mean a lot to me if you read my other story. It's the reason I've haven't been able to update recently. All righty then, as usual, Lots of love and thanks to my reviewers! I'll type in the replies with the next update. I hope you like this one :) Till' next time! - VZ


	14. P o i s o n - k i s s

I do not own Naruto - VZ

* * *

Sasori was impressed to say the least, almost awed at the girl who had once again proved herself worthy to spar him. In all honesty, he expected a quick fight with no challenge whatsoever. But of course the pinkette had a nasty habit of demonstrating how wrong he was. Now here they both were, on the battlefield once more. Although this time, he was not fighting her for mere amusement or for the sake of following orders. Instead, he di so out of pure curiosity. The red head wondered if she would be able to hold her own in a one-on-one fight with him. And consequently, she did.

To his surprise, rather than wait for his next move, Sakura decided to strike first.

This only pleased him more because he despised waiting.

The medic-nin ran straight for him, wicked intent plainly obvious in her eyes.

The puppet master then moved his fingers quickly, commanding his wooden soldiers to intercept her before she even got close to him. He willed the larger, thicker puppet with beady eyes to step in front of her and stopped there. His wooden creation's chest split wide open to reveal a heavy chord tipped with sharpened blade. Much like the one he had within his own body, and like before, it was laced with deadly poison.

Once again she surprised him, for she did not cease her sprinting. He tsked at her stupidity and sent the razor forwards. Immediately meeting with her form and running straight through her lithe and graceful body with a disgusting squelch.

He didn't know it was even possible for him to feel such dread and a sense of all honesty, he expected her to at least dodge his before he could perceive his opponent much better, he felt something amiss. In the distance, he could distinctly hear his partner's outraged voice. Bored eyes turned and observed the Akatsuki. The Uchiha and mist-nin had started walking over to him, their eyes narrowed and anger was coming of them in waves. Even the Uchiha' s bloodline was activated and glaring.

However, before anyone made another step, something almost unbelievable had occurred.

"I like you like this Sasori, completely vulnerable." Sakura whispered in his ear.

Sasori' s eyes actually widened, not expecting her to be alive let alone speaking to him.

Now that he thought about it, he was so concentrated on the Akatsuki members; he failed to hear a distinct 'pop' and a familiar puff of smoke. Indicating he had not killed the real Sakura, just her clone. In her place was a log, with his weapon embedded deep within the bark. Now here he was, standing without the protection of his puppets, with a kunai poised right above his heart.

Now he understood her words 'completely vulnerable'.

The medic-nin had her arms around his torso and her front facing his back. He thought he rather liked this position, he liked it a lot.

Naturally, he would do whatever any other cunning, sly man would do whenever in a problematic situation. Take complete advantage of whatever he had left.

So Sasori smirked (he noticed he had been doing that a lot lately) and dropped his arms. Effectively snapping the chakra strings that controlled his puppets.

But that didn't matter; he had a secret weapon that he only used in dire times, himself.

"How are you so certain that I'm at your mercy Haruno-san? Who's to say you aren't in mine?" He said slowly and clearly, wanting her to register each word.

"My blade is right over your heart Sasori, I can pierce it without any remorse." Sakura muttered with a kind of venom that even the puppet master could not hope to create.

She knew her words were harsh and that this was only meant to be a friendly spar but she wanted to prove to him how much stronger she had become. That she was better than the little girl who fought him once before. No, she had to intention of actually hurting him. Although the part of her that missed konoha demanded she stab him, right here, right now. Nevertheless, the pinkette stayed still. Wanting nothing more than to scare him a bit with her scalding remark.

The red head was not concerned with her cruel words, for he knew she did not mean it. He knew she was much to compassionate to allow such brutality to take place. So Sasori went for her bluff, daring her to actually do it. And also use this as an opportunity for his next attack.

Commanding his wooden joints to turn and twist, he moved his body so that he could tower over her instead.

Sakura was shocked when her victim had maneuvered his body in such a way that was humanly impossible. But then again, he clearly wasn't human. The puppet within her arms had basically turned around using his puppet-like dexterity and then he grabbed her hand, which was armed with a single kunai.

"Go ahead Haruno-san, strike me at my core." He gripped her wrist and held the blade between their bodies, right above his heart, almost penetrating the only living fragment of the man he used to be.

"You think I'm lying? That I won't take this chance to kill you once more?" She threatened, her green eyes sparking with flames of rage. Yet Sasori could see the nervousness hiding in those viridian depths, and he sought to make full use of it.

"You can…..but you won't." He shrugged, totally sure of himself. Looking for a moment, the young boy that merely longed for his parent's embrace. So boyish and young, as if he wasn't hurt and his hope for love hasn't shattered.

"You sound so sure of yourself." The pinkette noticed, giving him an annoyed expression.

"I am, in here." He gestured with his other hand, to his heart. Imprinted with the character for scorpion.

The indication was done rather sheepishly, something she didn't expect from the man before her.

Even the action itself was quite touching; this only worried Sakura even more.

The atmosphere was suddenly tense and filled with suspense. As if everything stayed still, waiting for his next move.

Sakura remained silent, thoroughly blown away by his declaration. It left her stupefied and awaiting his next course of action.

"Grant me this one request, before you supposedly murder me." He said, his hazel eyes darting between her green gaze and her lips.

Words died in her throat, fear filling her belly.

And with that, Sasori of the red sand did the most unexpected and unimaginable thing anyone could have ever assumed from him.

He kissed her.

* * *

**PLEASE** **READ**!

I hope you liked it, I know it's short but I wanted to leave it like that. Don't worry though, another speedy update is on it's way! Don't forget to review and comment! I absolutely LOVE hearing from all of you. Anyways...I'm SO VERY SORRY! i wanted to say thanks and reply to each of your reviews like how i usually do, but I don't have the time right now. It was actually a bit hard to update right now when I have to leave the house. -_-

Okay, enough of my ranting.

Till' next time! ;) - VZ


	15. H i s - d o l l

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

Sakura was frozen in complete and utter shock. Her body was instantly very rigid and her spine snapped straight. The kunai that was once gripped tightly in her hand had slipped and clattered to the ground with a light 'thud'. Suddenly, the lips that were currently pressed against hers pushed slightly harder, urging a response from her. Which was rather difficult, considering how stiff she was.

Nevertheless, Sasori kept going. He brought both hands to cup her face and caressed the soft skin there. He then brushed her mouth with feather light touches, somehow making the kiss chaste and gentle despite his relentless pursuing. Sakura thought he tasted like spice and the desert, hot and scorching against her lips.

But before the pinkette could ponder more on the puppet master and his kisses, a loud explosion snapped her out of her temporary stupor.

Green eyes widened in revelation at what she'd just done.

The next second, she pulled away. Shoving the man before her as far as possible, she glared at him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Sakura shrieked at Sasori, who looked rather calm and quite pleased with himself. There was even a smug smirk on his lips.

"I think it was rather obvious Sakura-san." The red head purred. Even going as far as to drop all forms of formality between them and calling her in a much more intimate manner.

The medic-nin opened her mouth to scream another obscenity at him when his arm looped around her waist, trapping her amrs and pulled her body towards his.

He gazed at her from under his long lashes, his hazel eyes were smoldering. Her breath got caught in her throat, not at all used to the kind of attention the red head was giving her right now. Nevertheless, she narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth. Still very mad at what he had just done a few moments ago. Taunting her with heated words and sexual innuendos were one thing, but acting on them was another matter entirely. A matter that she had no intention of even thinking about let alone doing.

Sakura then gave up wailing at the top of her lungs, since her words just went in one ear and out the other. So she opted for harsh yet quiet words instead. Not wanting to create a rather embarrassing scene in front of the other Akatsuki members. Little did she know, they were stealthily making their way towards the pair who were caught up in yet another heated argument.

"You're insane." She stated.

"You're beautiful." He replied.

"You're completely vile." Sakura added.

"You're absolutely divine." He was close enough to whisper those words to her, brushing his lips at the sensitive skin near shell of her ear. Every insult she threw his way, Sasori would counter it with sweet complements and honeyed words.

Sakura tried not to show any emotion other than disgust and pure loathing for the man currently holding her much like a lover should. However, it was quite difficult. _He_ was making it difficult.

"Would you stop with the complements?! It's getting old." She snarled at him, glaring with all her might. Especially since she had no power to move any other part of her body besides her mouth and eyes. And she planned to make full use of it by scowling and insulting him as much as possible.

"Don't say such things Sakura-san. I detest the mere thought of age and mortality."

Sasori' s eyes instantly lit up after saying those words to her. His entire being was practically glowing with excitement.

"Be my doll, Sakura-san." He offered.

"What?" The medic-nin muttered in confusion, baffled at his strange request.

"Wouldn't you want to be free from death and time?"

Sasori brought one hand up to caress her neck, raising goose bumps on her sensitive flesh.

"Be my marionette, my eternal blossom. Your beauty does not need to fade. No, I will not allow it to." His voice was suddenly filled with determination and conviction, thoroughly scaring the stiff girl in his arms with his hidden meanings.

And like a bolt of lightning to her head, a thought struck her.

"Oh Kami….you want me to become your puppet?"

The very thought disgusted her, how horrid would it be to be reduced to nothing more than a pile of wood?

Happiness was evident on the puppet master' s face.

"Yes…..I desire nothing more."

Sakura couldn't take it any longer, she snapped her eyes to meet his and she held his gaze.

"Never." She growled with all the strength she could muster from their earlier spar.

There was suddenly a big question mark on his handsome, boyish face. His brows were furrowed in confusion and his lips pursed in thought. She idly thought how much more freely he expressed himself lately, no longer keeping his emotions bottled up inside him like he did many times before.

"I can't be your….doll, or your anything for that matter. I am my own person." She declared; her tone was unwavering and strong.

"But you could be so much more." Sasori countered, pressing his forehead to hers in an affectionate gesture. Sadly, she had to make him understand. And so, Sakura forced her arm to escape from its wooden prison (Sasori' s arms) and splayed her hand across his chest. Pushing him backwards and away from her body. Effectively giving her space and much needed air.

"No." She simply said.

Hazel eyes zeroed on her hand, looking intently at her fingers.

At first, the pinkette thought she had finally gotten through to him. That is, until a slightly larger hand spread out over hers. Their fingers were overlapping each other and their gazes interlocked almost immediately.

"I will make you mine." Sasori promised, his tone bordering on reverence.

But before she could make another move, which was physically impossible. Considering how tight the puppet master was clinging on to her body. Something unbelievable occurred.

Sasori was suddenly gone; his body was no longer plastered to hers.

Green eyes widened after taking in the scene before her.

Kisame held one of Sasori' s arms while Deidara held the other. They were pulling on both his limbs so hard it looked like his joints just might break. On both their usual happy faces were matching frowns and angry scowls. Even Itachi, who was staring down the red head with his sharingan, looked menacing.

Hidan had brandished his blood red scythe and it was now poised under Sasori' s jaw, the silver haired nin gripped his weapon so tight that his knuckles turned bone white from the effort.

The entire setting was very frightening. Sakura felt two chakra signatures behind her; she turned and was shocked to see Zetsu and Kakuzu. Arms crossed and on either side of her much smaller form, as if protecting her.

Sakura was so surprised by his proclamation and the picture before her that she did the most cowardly thing possible.

She ran.

* * *

Hope you liked it, so sorry for the late update. Anyways, lots of love and thanks to my reviewers! Which increased since the very first chapter and i am so very grateful for that! :D

KagomeAngel91 (hellooo new reviewer. Maginificent? Goodness girl, you're making me blush!)

Naremon (hope you like this update)

Kalafina94 (it's been a while since I've last heard from ya girl! Hehe, not that I'm blaming you for not reviewing, actually it's the opposite. I'm happy you were able to read the last few chapters I've updated so far. Damn, you're reviews are getting funnier and funnier. Hehe anyways, hope you like it K! *winks*)

LoVeLeSs AnD bEtRaYeD (hehe, thanks for reviewing on 'endear me' and my other story 'begin again'. It's just something I had a strong urge to write. I hope it will be good though. But since I hardly got any reviews maybe I'it's not such a good idea -_- anyways, let me know what you thin…bye!)

Akemi Spangler ( yeap! They are perverts! Heehee.)

Angelofthelord15 ( I'm so terribly sorry this update was so very slow. Don't worry, the rest will be much quicker *winks*)

Sakura no Polen (YA HE DID KISS YOUR WEASEL'S BLOSSOM! Dun Dun Dun…..Itachi will be very pissed in the next chapter. Hehe….)

NuroNuro ( Thanks, im happy this story is amusing and funny)

Trunksmybaby (im happy you loved it!)

SamehJay (sorry this update was soooo slooooow! Next time shall be faster!)

Gal Can't Help It (hehe yeah, Sasori really does seem naughty in the last few chapters huh?)

Gimana Nanti51 (I love you too new reviewer! *glomps Gimana Nanti51*)

Dina Sana (don't worry, imma continue this story till the end!)

Yuyui (hehe, hope you liked it)

Shadow Wolf (thank you so much! Not to sound sappy or anything but you have no idea how touched I am when I read your review. I just started writing and fight scenes were new to me so I was not really sure if I could pull it off. Thanks again!)

YuYu99 (Aw, thank you!)

Raganore Nevermore (I know right?)

Harunoakatsuki (THANKS!)

Honey boos (thabk you dah-ling...hehe….)

Peoplehateme101 ( I feel so happy that you found my story good enough to comment on, thank you!)

DarkAngelLilithX ( sorry that this update took days. Next ones will be much speedier!)

La canella (thank youuuuu!)

Princessgoth14 (thanks so much girl!)

Till next time! – VZ


	16. S w e e t s

I don't own Naruto - VZ

* * *

"Listen kid…. I know you're pretty upset. Hell, we all are. But you shouldn't hide yourself in your room like that." The gruff voice of Kisame drifted through the wood of the door. The pinkette chose to ignore it and continue to cover herself with fluffy blankets. Hoping to forget the last few hours in the comforts of her soft and large bed.

"It's useless just sitting in there." He added.

Sakura smirked to herself; she was laying on the mattress not the floor.

"Or hiding under the sheets."

The smile slid off her face almost immediately.

"C'mon open up squirt. I've got you're favorite sweets…." His voice and words sounded like he was bribing her. Unfortunately, it was working.

Soundlessly, she crept out of from under the covers and across the room, turning the knob and opening the door. Revealing a very tall and a very blue mist-nin with an armload of her favorite goodies.

She didn't say anything, neither did he. Sakura simply held open the door and let him into her room, closing it once he entered.

They both sat on her bed silently yet she made sure to gather her blankets and pile them up on the right side, since the large man was busy sitting on the left. The pinkette grabbed a dango stick and burrowed herself into her sheets, munching the entire time.

Kisame saw this and chuckled, shaking his head at her cute antics. He found it adorable how childish the medic-nin could act when not on the battlefield. This thought reminded him of her earlier spar with Sasori. Where she had fought with wit and strength, thoroughly impressing not only him but also the rest of the Akatsuki members. They all watched with rapt attention to her every move, which was done with skill and grace that rivaled even the most experienced ninjas of their had heard of her physical and mental prowess from the puppet master himself. But he could never get tired of seeing her out on the field, her moves so fluid and elegant that he thought she was dancing instead of dodging the weapons that Sasori mercilessly threw at her.

Kisame was suddenly perturbed by everyone else's reaction to the pink haired kunoichi. He inwardly scowled just thinking about the rest of his team mate's response to the young woman fighting with the red head. Their faces were filled with awe, respect and...lust. The need to clobber them on the spot was so strong and appealing that he almost did, his fingers were twitching for his large sword which was wrapped in bandages. Hidan was basically asking for it, his eyes were roving up and down her body ceaselessly. He seemed fidgety, as if he couldn't control himself. The mist-nin almost groaned at the sight of his face, his jaw was hanging wide open with drool dribbling down his chin. Kisame couldn't blame him; even he had to admit that he wore a similar expression when Sakura had sliced her yukata up to her thighs. The blood red fabric contrasted with her soft, pale skin. She didn't seem to even notice the effect she had on the men in the area, she was too preoccupied with her opponent at the moment. Just recalling the ripped yukata had him feeling agitated and nervous. No, he wasn't worried about the cost of the dress or the material getting ruined. In fact, he was more concerned about her creamy skin being exposed to the many men in the training facility. The mist-nin felt the strong desire to cover her body from leering eyes. But while he pondered on his thoughts and impulses while he was out buying the pinkette' s favorite snacks. And then he came to a rather strange conclusion; the odd thing was, he was fine with her bare like that. Just not with anyone else around, only with him. Only _for_ him.

Kisame was instantly edgy, unsure of his thoughts and feelings when a certain medic-nin was involved.

"What are you thinking about?" A sweet and tentative voice pulled him out of his troubled thoughts.

Green eyes were curious and searched his own.

Sakura had been quiet while he was mulling over the recent events in his mind. Keeping herself busy with eating the many sweets he had brought.

"Nothin' much kid. I'm just being the awesome guy that I am and cheer you up with food." He said with his signature shark-like grin.

Sakura smiled at his thoughtfulness, taking another bite of dango with she nodded. Agreeing with his statement of cheering her up. In truth, it was almost working. The sweets coupled with his easy company was pleasant and was helping her forget a particular red head. But she was instantly intrigued, after reminiscing about her kiss with Sasori. Sakura wondered why he did such a thing. To rile her up even more? No, there were other much more effective ways. For his own twisted sort of fun? Maybe…..but still. And so, she gulped and forced herself to look the mist-nin in the eye. Asking him the question that has been stuck in her head since the moment Sasori dared to plunder her mouth with his own.

"Why do you think he did that?"

Kisame was stumped, hesitant to answer the young woman next to him. Of course he knew why, he just didn't want to tell her. He feared for her reaction to the information that he was not inclined to give. Would she reject the puppet master's feelings or accept them? Questions and fears buzzed through his head like a swarm of bees. Making him slightly dizzy and very much annoyed. Kisame was conflicted, he wanted to ease her worries and troubles. Answer her doubts and questions with nothing but the truth. This compelling need was irritating to say the least. Since when did he have a moral compass? And since when did it start pointing north? No….since when did it start pointing to the blossom before him? Ever since she arrived, all he thought about was if she was comfy enough. Fed well, taken care of…..this scared him.

He grit his teeth as he looked into her green eyes, which were bright and so innocent looking. Kisame glanced at the rest of her features. Pink brows furrowed in confusion, unblemished skin, and her face framed with short cherry locks. And lastly, her lips, pursed and looking very tempting….so full and pink….so inviting and….

Oh fuck, he was so going to hell for this.

Swallowing up the courage, and uttering a silent prayer to Kami, he did something he was really not supposed to do.

Just like the red head did hours before, the mist-nin closed the distance between them and crushed his lips to hers.

* * *

To say Sakura was shocked was a serious understatement. If someone told her that two missing-nins would kiss her all in the span of one day, she would have advised them to go to a mental ward immediately. Maybe even punch them for thinking such insane and impossible things in the first place. Though the pair of lips currently glued to hers would disagree with that statement. Hours ago, she was too shocked to really register Sasori' s kiss with all her senses. But here she was, in her room, caged in Kisame' s bulky arms. Feeling every sensation he was inflicting on her sore and tired body. A part of her wondered if she should be now labeled a slut, for kissing two men in less than a few hours. But then a larger much more annoying part of her (Inner) justified that she was the injured party. Being ravished without her consent or permission. Sakura would roll her eyes now and retort scathingly back to Inner if she wasn't so preoccupied with the man atop her. Their legs were tangled and they were both panting.

Kisame was even considerate enough to hold his weight above hers, thanks to the help of his muscles in both his arms.

But then the mist-nin wanted to feel more of her, so he lowered himself slowly. Until his body was aligned with hers perfectly, chest to chest, hip to hip. Suddenly, the piles of blankets have been pushed aside by his large hands and she was no longer hidden from his view or body. She knew that he could feel every curve,dip and line of her form. How did Sakura know this? Well, because she could feel every bit of his sinewy muscles and his toned torso. Inner practically had a nose bleed after feeling his rock hard abs pressed against her upper body.

He tentatively, caressed the exposed part of her leg with his thumb, almost groaning at the softness of her skin.

Sakura was so confused, would she kiss back? If she did then it may be considered as accepting him like this. But did she want him like that? Yes! her body urged her to respond. However, she knew that doing this…with a missing-nin…..an Akatsuki member was wrong…yet why did it feel so right?

Out of curiosity, the pinkette opened her lips, granting him entry to her moist cavern.

The mist-nin didn't miss a beat, instantly plundering her mouth with tenacity.

At some point, she needed air. Not him though, obviously he could handle the lack of oxygen.

As she struggled to calm herself down, he moved onto her neck. Tasting and suckling her sensitive skin just below the ear. His warm weight atop hers was comfortable as he nipped and licked her neck. Slowly but surely dipping lower and lower. When the length of his nose brushed her cleavage, the pinkette returned to her senses.

Gathering her wits, she pushed him off her body. He backed away with no complaint, still dazed from her lush body and soft lips.

After the lust filled fog of his mind cleared, Kisame met her eyes. He feared her rejection because of his occupation in life and his past deeds. Although that didn't begin to cover his initial fear. Which was his skin color. Not many women found blue men attractive. Naturally, he would be frightened by her scalding rejection. But what he saw had him baffled. Sakura looked at him with surprise, not fear but astonishment. This gave Kisame hope, so he bowed down his head to hide his blushing face (most probably purple) and fled from the room, After he apologized and promised to bring more snacks the next day. Leaving a very confused medic-nin behind in a heap of blankets.

* * *

Hope you liked it! I'll give replies in my next update, which will be soon ;)

Here's a preview...

_"I hate it..." He trailed off, his tone was filled with fury and his hands gripping her own tightened. _

_"I don't understand...hate what?" Sakura questioned him, stalling the man before her while she pondered how to escape yet another intimate and compromising position. _

_"How such a low life can claim something that does not belong to him." He then pressed his body against hers, effectively pushing her into the hard concrete of the wall. _

_"What are you talking about?" She struggled under his strong hold._

_"Don't play dumb, it's unbecoming Sakura." He muttered darkly. "Sasori of the red sand. I heard him declare you his in the midst of your battle. And I despise him for it." Suddenly, he used one of his hands to cup the side of her face. Then it trailed down the curve of her cheek and his fingers rested at the base of her chin. He used his forefinger and thumb to grasp her chin and tilt her face up, bringing it closer to his. _

_"So? it doesn't matter because I'll _never_ be his." She said resolutely. _

_Her words seemed to please him, for a smile appeared on his lips. _

_"Good." Itachi whispered against her lips, his eyes never leaving hers._

Till next time! - VZ


	17. T h i r s t

I don't own Naruto - VZ

* * *

Sakura was on her way to the kitchen, contemplating on how to escape the underground base she was trapped in. A part of her felt stupid for not breaking free while Itachi was busy recovering. It would have been fairly easy, leaving in the dead of night. But she had several reasons to explain why she didn't. For one, it was raining quite heavily, so her escape was hindered by the torrents of water. Another was how weak she was after healing the Uchiha. Simply staying awake was a difficult task at the time. Lastly, how could she possibly run off when two Akatsuki members were on either side of her the entire trip back to their base?

All in all, Sakura had very many legitimate reasons why she hadn't left Akatsuki yet. However, she wondered why she felt an ache in her tummy. Like lead had been dropped into it. The pinkette knew this feeling she knew it all too well. Especially since Naruto, who constantly laid out his life fro her, was her best friend. The churning and unpleasant emotion within in her was called guilt. Confusion filled her right then. What did she have to feel guilty for? Suddenly, Inner said the answer right into her ear.

**You like being here in Akatsuki's base.** She stated smugly, a triumphant grin on her face.

_What?! Of course not_. Sakura countered.

**Oh yeah you're right…..** Inner trailed off.

The medic-nin was glowing with victory as she entered the kitchen, fully intent on finding a drink.

….**.You like the** _**members**_ **of Akatsuki.** Her other consciousness continued, but before Sakura could reply, she went on.

...**Especially when they kiss you like that, I know I sure as hell did**. She finished with a breathy sigh.

Sakura literally face palmed after Inner's rather bold statement, something she would never admit out loud.

_Whatever_….. she replied without her usual enthusiasm.

**You know I'm right-wait…..you're not going to deny it?** Inner sounded disbelieving, Sakura merely shrugged.

_I'm too thirsty to care. Just please shut up for once._ She was close to begging, anything to forget about her recent encounters with two S-ranked criminals.

**Suuuure…** but thankfully, Inner had disappeared into the recesses of her mind. Giving her the space she so desperately wanted and needed.

The pinkette opened the fridge to find a variety of food but not one drink. She huffed in frustration, her throat was dry and her mouth felt like the desert on a particularly hot day.

"Care for a drink?" A familiar, smooth voice asked her from out of the blue.

She turned in surprise, finding the Uchiha standing right behind her, a bottle of iced tea in his hand.

"I-uh…I'm good, thanks though." She answered while snapping the fridge door shut with one hand. Nervousness and anxiety was filling her fast, making her form rigid and stiff immediately.

"Are you certain? You look….thirsty." Itachi regarded her, uncapping the bottle and taking a sip.

Green eyes followed the movement of the amber liquid, from the plastic and into the man's throat.

Oh, how much she wanted to swallow the entire drink in one gulp, but she couldn't. As much as her wanted his ice-cold beverage, she shouldn't indulge. It was his after all.

**He offered some, you idiot**. Inner commented dryly.

Sakura merely ignored her and tried not to think about his close proximity. Itachi was not wearing his Akatsuki cloak, instead he was garbed in a mesh shirt with snug black pants hanging low on his hips. She could see his muscles rippling with each movement he made thanks to his choice of attire.

"I'm fine..." The medic-nin uttered, looking anywhere but his well defined torso.

"Hn...here, this will help you forget the heat." Once again, he held out his drink, waiting for her to accept it.

_Not likely_. she thought sadly.

Sakura decided to accept his kind offer and drank from his bottle, enjoying the cool liquid sliding down her throat and into her stomach. She was so focused on her beverage, she failed to notice a certain Uchiha looking very...intense at the moment.

Instantaneously, two strong hands pulled her wrists, pinning them above her head and against the metal surface of the fridge door. To say she was shocked was quite the understatement. Of course, due to her surprised state and the scrambling of limbs, the plastic bottle had fallen to the ground. Staining the pinkette's pristine white yukata and leaving a large pool of fluid on the floor. Even her hands were slightly sticky thanks to the iced tea which was now melting on the floor. However, Itachi hardly seemed bothered by this. His attention was now focused on a particular medic-nin struggling for freedom.

"I hate it..." He trailed off, his tone was filled with fury and his hands gripping her own tightened.

"I don't understand...hate what?" Sakura questioned him, stalling the man before her while she pondered how to escape yet another intimate and compromising position.

"How such a low life can claim something that does not belong to him." He then pressed his body against hers, effectively pushing her into the hard concrete of the wall.

"What are you talking about?" She squirmed under his strong hold.

"Don't play dumb, it's unbecoming Sakura." He muttered darkly. "Sasori of the red sand. I heard him declare you his in the midst of your battle. And I despise him for it." Suddenly, he used one of his hands to cup the side of her face. Then it trailed down the curve of her cheek and his fingers rested at the base of her chin. He used his forefinger and thumb to grasp her chin and tilt her face up, bringing it closer to his.

"So? it doesn't matter because I'll _never_ be his." She said resolutely.

Her words seemed to please him, for a smile appeared on his lips.

"Good." Itachi whispered against her lips, his eyes never leaving hers.

Dread filled her, just as the butterflies in her belly fluttered.

"Stop." she whispered, her eyes pleading with his own. Unfortunately, he was just like his brother, completely ruthless.

"Why?" He asked, lowering his face so that she was now leveled with the top of his head and he was leveled with her neck. Fear spiked in her, effectively killing all the cute little butterflies that were flying around in her tummy. Sakura prayed to Kami that Itachi wouldn't notice the love bites that Kisame had left on her neck the day before. Yes, she should have healed them but it had totally slipped her mind. Only when the Uchiha had chosen to pay more attention to her nape had she remembered the mist-nin's mark on her body.

"Get off me-"

"What are these?..." His tone was deathly quiet, if she hadn't been close to him like this then she might not have heard it.

She could hear the pure anger in his voice. She could feel his body shaking since it was pressed against hers so tightly.

"...Uh, birthmarks?" The look Itachi gave her said 'Do I look like an idiot?'

She sighed, long and deep.

"Look Itachi, it's not a big deal. Just forget about it, same thing with yesterday. Forget about Sasori and his...nevermind. Just don't think about it, I certainly won't." Sakura tried to appease him, even though the words coming out of her mouth seemed like a lie. Naturally, she wasn't going to tell him that his partner did this to her, it would just start complicating things. If Itachi was mad now, imagine his fury once he realized that his team mate had done this to her. Not that she thought he needed to know, it's not like everything she did was his business.

The Uchiha didn't look convinced, so he gave her the most sinful and heated gaze instead. Her heart caught up in her once dry throat and sped up, beating erratically as Itachi pressed his forehead to hers. His dark eyes locked onto her green ones and held her gaze. Watching her reaction as he slid carefully up her body, licking the droplets of his iced tea on her fingers and the inside of her wrists. She inwardly shuddered when his tongue lapped up the juice on her palms, it felt so erotic and naughty that she dared not think what other things he could do with that skillful mouth of his.

"You're right, it's not even worth recalling." He murmured above her, his hot breath fanning across her hands. Making her blush red to the roots of her pink hair. Nevertheless, Sakura tried to focus on his words instead of his actions. When it finally registered in her mind that the matter was over and done with, she was elated. Happy that she didn't have to deal with even more drama. That is, until Itachi decided to open his mouth and ruin her little victory moment.

"You know why? Seeing that you aren't his but _mine_, it's alright to forget the past." The Uchiha faced her once more, determination and promise flaring in those black orbs.

And as suddenly as he had arrived, he disappeared. Leaving quickly but not before giving her another heated glance over his shoulder.

Sakura grit her teeth in complete and utter frustration at not only his proud and very bold declaration, but the mess he left for her to clean up.

* * *

Hope you liked it! Another update is on the way :) Lots of love and thanks to all my reviewers!

KyuubiHost

Harunoakatsuki

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Xwickedcharmx

theheartstourniquet

lalamnmgirl

Kisho101

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Akemi Spangler

Eve9613

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LoVeLeSs AnD bEtRaYeD

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Itunesaddiction

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Goddess of WAR1Keeper of Time

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Akatsuki freak 911

Dina Sana

KagomeAngel91

naremon

Kalafina94

Till next time! ;) - VZ


	18. T r o u b l e s

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

Sakura was absolutely fuming by the time she got on her knees and started cleaning up the mess Itachi had left for her to deal with. Rolling up the sleeves of her yukata, she proceeded to mop up the remains of the ice tea with a rag she found somewhere in the kitchen. Unfortunately, she was so concentrated on her current task that she hardly noticed when a certain blonde walked into the room.

"Hey Sakura-chan." Deidara decided to make his presence known after being ignored for almost five minutes by the pinkette, who was grumbling under her breath about 'stinking Uchihas' and much more vulgar words after.

Her head snapped up at the sound of his rakish, cocky voice. Surprised he was able to sneak up on her so easily. Then again, he was an Akatsuki member.

"Hi Deidara-kun, what are you doing here?"

Inner promptly face palmed at her ridiculous question.

The blonde looked very much amused though.

"Just getting a snack yeah, but I'm more interested how you made such a mess down there." He shrugged his shoulders, then ran his hands through his hair, looking very rugged and handsome in the process.

Sakura inwardly slapped herself for such thoughts and continued on scrubbing the floor while answering his inquiry.

"Just cleaning up a mess that an extremely annoying Uchiha had left for me." She said curtly with an angry frown marring her pretty features. In all honesty, she wasn't that upset about the drink splattered all over the concrete ground. Yes, she was mildly irritated that she'd have to wipe it off herself when he was the cause of it dropping in the first place. However, she was much more bothered by his earlier actions. The medic-nin simply couldn't believe his words or behavior just moments ago. It was as if he was jealous or something like that.

**No shit Sherlock.** Inner commented dryly.

"Go away." She muttered out loud, forgetting she was not alone in the vicinity.

Deidara felt a stab of rejection after hearing her words, but knowing that it was highly impossible that a woman like Sakura could even feel something other than hate for a man like himself, he chose to nod and turned to leave.

The pinkette looked up just in time to see the bomber exiting the room with a sullen expression on his face.

"Wait Deidara-kun! Where are you going?" she wondered, forgetting about the mess on the floor completely. Her attention was now focused on the man before her, appearing quite depressed.

"Away, isn't that what you wanted?" he asked, leaning on the side of the doorway.

It was silent for a moment then Sakura realized her earlier thoughts had accidentally been put into words.

**Smooth, real smooth**. Inner regarded her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean you. My thoughts are sort of scrambled at the moment. Besides, I didn't want you to leave. I just wanted my troubles to go away." She amended while giving him her puppy dog eyes, which worked all the time, especially on Naruto and her parents. Coaxing him to forgive her words and hopefully come back inside and get his snack.

Deidara had to calm down or his heart would never stop palpitating, just seeing her bright leaf green eyes all big and innocent like that nearly gave him a hear attack. It was simply too much to handle.

And her words had helped him relax somewhat, the knife of rejection had been pulled out and it felt like the pain was never there to begin with.

"What's bothering you yeah?" his smile was back and he sauntered back into the room, quickly getting a bright red apple from the fridge and sitting next to his object of affection.

Sakura had just finished wiping the mess on the floor when Deidara sat next to her, making himself comfortable and munching on a fruit.

She wondered if she should confide in him, tell him everything that has been happening lately. But then Sakura decided it was best not to. The blonde was nice and fun to be with but she didn't trust him completely. Not yet anyway.

"It's not something I want to bring up again." She replied, unrolling the sleeves of her stained dress down to her wrists.

"Why is that?" He asked, although he had a feeling he knew the answer. Deidara wasn't blind, contrary to popular belief thanks to his one eye covered by the scope. He knew in his gut that Sakura was feeling uneasy due to the attention she was receiving from the members of the Akatsuki. It all started with that damned partner of his! If only he hadn't kissed her first, if only the red head wasn't so impatient.

The blonde inwardly growled at himself, cursing his choice not to kiss her first. Maybe then…

He shook his head in frustration, these thoughts were getting him nowhere and it didn't help either of them. And so, he chose not to probe the subject with the pinkette anymore. Yes, he wanted to figure out her feelings concerning a particular red head but he kept his mouth (all of them) shut. Not wanting to upset the girl beside him anymore. Actually, he wanted to cheer her up. Make her forget about the recent events that have all the Akatsuki members feeling distraught and unfocused.

"Never mind yeah, Hey..I want to show you something. Maybe it will help you forget all about your troubles and everything." Deidara said whilst shoving his hands into his clay pouches. He commanded chakra into the material and into the mouths on both his hands.

Green eyes watched his actions intently, her interest piqued and her earlier problems forgotten momentarily. Which was exactly what the bomber wanted.

He brought his hand which was fisted into a ball, near hers.

"Here, open up." Deidara encouraged her, smiling all the while.

Sakura looked at him with a slight bit of unease.

"Come on Sakura-chan….trust me yeah." He whispered, his eyes darkening. It made his sky blue eyes seem deeper, darker than before.

It was then when she realized that Deidara wasn't just some boy who liked to blow things up for fun. No, there was so much more depth in him than that. As she gazed into his blue eyes, she knew he was a man. A man who was asking for her trust.

With a sigh and a shaky smile, her hand opened up and reached towards him.

The smile Deidara gave her made her heart leap up into her throat.

She didn't want to compare anyone at all but she couldn't help herself. While Sasori was impatient and fervent, Itachi was intense, and Kisame was overpowering. On the other hand, the blonde was warm in every sense of the word.

Her eyes widened at the clay object in her palm, fluttering with delight.

"A butterfly?"

She touched the tip of its white wings with gentle fingers, marveling at the beauty of his art.

"Yeah, beautiful…..just like you." He said seriously, the smile on his face was still there but his demeanor seemed much more sober.

Blood rushed to Sakura's cheeks after hearing his words.

"You….you shouldn't say such things." She said as the creature flew around her palm. Unsure of how to react to his complements.

"Why not yeah? It's the truth. Just like my art, you're lovely, explosive and brilliant." As he complemented her, he inched closer and closer. Not quite invading her personal space but definitely close enough for her to be much more aware of his presence.

Deidara felt rather guilty, he wanted to cheer her up. To help her forget Sasori and his damned kiss, just thinking about his lips on hers made him sick to his stomach. Nevertheless, the desire to replace the feel and taste of the red head's lips with his own was overpowering. He knew it was wrong to put her in such a situation, especially since he asked for her trust and he was basically betraying it. By making her the slightest bit uncomfortable with his forms of flattery. However, he couldn't help himself. Not when a woman named 'Sakura' was involved.

"Deidara…" The medic-nin warned.

"Yeah?" he was much closer now, close enough for her to feel his body heat through the layers of both their clothes.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked him, although she already knew the answer. Her voice sounded slightly breathy, much to her embarrassment.

"What does it look like?" Hot breath fanned across her cheekbones, warming her beyond belief.

"It looks like you're about to kiss me, but you won't….right?" Sakura's voice began strong but was trembling at the end, out of fear and anticipation. No, she did not want to be labeled a slut. But she was steadily on her way to becoming one if she let this continue.

"How do you know that I won't take this opportunity to….ravish you…right here…right now." His voice dropped, lower and huskier. Sending pleasurable chills down her spine.

"Because…it's…it's wrong to." She argued weakly, averting her gaze from his piercing eyes. In her peripheral vision, she spotted the red apple Deidara had been eating, rolling across the now clean floor.

"How can something so wrong…feel so _right_?" He asked, but Sakura had a feeling he didn't want her to answer. The blonde lightly gripped her hand with his own, bringing it up to their eye level.

The clay butterfly flew around their intertwined hands, then suddenly she felt something wet on her palm.

"Wha-?"

"Hush my Sakura-chan." He pressed his forehead to hers, locking their gazes immediately.

To her surprise, Deidara didn't move any closer. He didn't kiss her like she had expected. Instead, he merely closed his eyes and smiled softly. Content at the mere presence of his blossom.

The pinkette was equally shocked when she realized it was a tongue she felt in her hand.

It instantly occurred to her how erotic it felt, him kissing her there. His tongue lapping up the traces of ice tea that Itachi had missed.

"If I had the chance to kiss you, it will only happen if you want it as well. I won't be like him who will steal a kiss from you like that." His eyes were still closed, never before had she seen such emotion so open on a man's face.

"I want you to _crave_ this." Deidara used the lips on his hands to brush against her pulse point at her wrist, she bit back the moan at this sensual action.

"I want you to _long_ for this." He nipped the sensitive skin there, licking it soon after.

"I want you…to _desire_ me too." He opened his eyes, revealing the most heated and passionate look she had ever witnessed in her life.

All the words and protests died in her throat after seeing such a sight and hearing such ardent words., especially from an S-ranked criminal.

"Know this Sakura-chan…." Deidara purred, his voice caressing every syllable of her name.

Sakura braced herself for his words, but even Tsunade's most severe training could have prepared her for this.

"I will not lose you to him." He practically growled.

Her heart skipped a beat at the raw possessiveness in his voice.

She wondered if he meant Sasori or Itachi or maybe even Kisame. But she doubted he even knew about the other two. As the butterfly fluttered around the pair sitting on the ground, Sakura pondered on how was she going to escape. And if she even really wanted to.

* * *

Hope you liked it! Replies to reviews will be coming with the next chapter!

Here's a preview….

_"Tch…..you little bitch." He growled, his fingers ghosting over the cut she had given him on his lips with a rather nasty punch._

_"That's what you get for even trying to-" Sakura was cut of by his vicious snarl._

_"For what?! I just wanted to taste you, to fucking kiss the woman that has been on my mind since the day she got here!" He backed her up against the wall, reminding the pinkette of when another man had tried to bully her around. However, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of her submission or acting like a weak little child. Unable to hold her won against big strong men. Nor was she going to get into these compromising situations anymore._

_"Shut up! I don't want to listen to anymore of this crap about kissing me!" She screamed back at him, matching his anger with her , her words had only fanned the flames of his wrath._

_"What?! Who else has been trying to get what is mine?" Hidan questioned angrily, spouting nonsense about sacrificing them to Jashin and the like._

_Sakura felt pure, unadulterated rage flowing through her veins after hearing his words._

_"Listen to me, because I'm only going to say this once." She lowered her voice into a silent growl, thoroughly frightening (not that he would admit it) and pleasuring Hidan._

_"You better let everyone in this fucking hellhole know too." The pinkette straightened her spine and looked him straight in the eye. His were alight with amusement and desire, hers were burning with fury and outrage._

_"I, Sakura Haruno, do not and will never belong to anyone." Sakura finished with a serious expression, her mouth set in a grim line._

_Hidan laughed at this, finding pure joy at the challenge set before him. Which he had every intention to accomplish with flying colors._

_"That's what you think." He stated before leaning in close, fully intent on claiming her mouth for himself._

* * *

Ta da! Till next time – VZ


	19. T a s t e

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

"This is really bad." Sakura mumbled to herself, thinking back to her time with Deidara just hours before. She decided it was best for her to put her mind on other things, like escape plan for example.

As she made her way to the bathroom, still dressed in her soiled yukata (she planned to wash it off inside), she pondered on the recent events. Her entire being buzzed with fear and anxiety just considering the meaning within the Akatsuki member's words. It had only been less than two days and how many men had already kissed her. Although Inner was thoroughly enjoying herself, she was not. At least that's what she's been telling herself. Over and over again Sakura tried not to feel anything over those brief caresses and touches. She told herself to forget about their declarations and promises of making her theirs. But honestly, her heart sped up and ached at the same time whenever she thought back on those stolen kisses. She won't deny how impossibly good it felt, or how exceptionally wrong it was to even indulge in such acts.

The pinkette found herself standing at the entrance of the bathroom, finding no one there, she entered and turned the knob of the shower. Immersing herself in the comfort of the steamy water, she let her mind wander and simply forget. After half an hour of hot water running down her body, soothing her tired muscles. She stepped out and wrapped a fluffy towel (that was in a pile next to the door) around herself.

Sakura then grabbed a small basin under the sink and proceeded to scrub down the brown stain from her pristine white dress. Inwardly, she hated how familiar she was with the base that she knew here the materials she needed were. Yet she couldn't find her way out. It was a problem that she had every intention of solving.

After several minutes of relentless washing, the stain had faded and soon disappeared as if it was never even there. She smiled at her handiwork, proud at herself for such a mundane task.

Sadly, only when she was half naked and far from her room was when she realized she had not brought any clothes with her. The rest of her wardrobe was safely tucked inside one of the drawers in her room.

There she went again! Speaking as if her room wasn't actually her cell. Shaking her head in frustration, she huffed. Annoyed at her carelessness. In the back of her mind, she wondered why she hadn't used the bathroom in her room/cell. But then the medic-nin suddenly remembered the lack of hot water in her washroom. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had a vague memory of lying about that. Something about not having hot water there when in reality there was.

Sakura was irritated at the sheer irony of her situation right then.

Guessing that her lie was coming to bite her in the ass, she really had no choice but to make a run for it.

Just as she was prepared to speed through the hallways and into her room, the door of the bathroom swung open. Revealing a very handsome, very rude and very shirtless Hidan. He was carrying his Akatsuki robe and a black towel in his hand.

The look on his face screamed 'What the hell?'

But soon the surprised expression on his face shifted into one of smugness.

"Ah…. finally come to me have you Sakura-chan? About fucking time." He stated, stepping into the tiled room with ease and shutting the door behind him with a click.

Green eyes widened, finally registering his words.

"What? You don't understand Hidan." She raised her hands up to keep him from invading her personal bubble of space. Unfortunately, without her grip on the towel around her body, the fabric was in danger of slipping and falling to the slightly wet floor.

Blood rushed up to her cheeks and she turned immediately, fixing the problem with a tight knot.

"Uh-huh. So you're not here in the bathroom practically naked and waiting for me to fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk on those pretty legs of yours for a whole damn week." He said casually, as if he was talking about the weather instead of much more intimate affairs.

**He has a point.** Inner added there was no bite in her voice. No, she was merely pointing out the obvious.

_It's not my fault I forgot my clothes..._

Sakura mentally hung her head down in shame, thanks to her carelessness; the situation did look like the image Hidan had painted in her head.

"Well, you see-" She was cut off by Hidan' s husky drawl.

"Oh trust me, I am." He looked pointedly at her chest. Which was pushed up due to the towel wrapped so snug and tight around her form. It didn't necessarily show that much-exposed skin but it did hint at it, quite heavily.

"Pig! Geez, all you men are exactly alike." The pinkette fumed, narrowing her eyes at a certain silver haired nin who looked like he was enjoying every bit of her anger directed towards him.

"What else did you fucking expect from us men? We have needs." At the last word, his purple eyes darkened. Sending warning bells ringing in her head, the familiar way he gazed at her was not a good sign.

Sakura decided it was time to leave.

"Hey now, where do you think you're going? Hm?" Hidan asked then started undressing and moving towards her, looking much like a lion who had now started to stalk it's prey.

"Out of here and away from you! Oh Kami, stop removing your clothes, just…Ugh!"

She was close to breaking, so close to the point of no return. And all thanks to the many attractive and seductive (Even she can't deny that) men surrounding her. If this went on any longer, she would most likely die from so many almost heart attacks. It simply wasn't healthy to put her heart under so much stress in the span of less than two days.

"I can do whatever the hell I want, that includes stripping in front of you."

She really wished he had come in the bathroom with at least more than a pair of pants and shoes. Because now he was down to his boxers, and she really wasn't in the mood for this.

**I am!** Inner shrieked at the top of her lungs.

_Shut up!_ She thought back with irritation steadily building up in her system.

"I'm leaving Hidan and you can't stop me." The medic-nin grabbed her now clean yukata and headed straight for the door. It was a full proof plan, except for the man blocking her exit with a cocky grin on his lips. The Akatsuki member bowed down and tilted his head, whispering his next words into the shell of her ear so sinfully.

"Oh yeah? Why don't you fucking watch me."

And with that, he attempted to kiss her. Thoughts raced around her mind as he inched closer to her lips. Naturally, she wouldn't let him get that far. Now that she had a feeling what he was about to do, on account of her past experiences with the other Akatsuki members.

Oh, how much she hoped she wasn't turning into some trollop who just made-out with random men out of pure whim.

**Trust me hun, we ain't sluts. They're the ones who practically mouth raped us. Besides, they are hardly random men**. The familiar voice of Inner consoled her.

_You're right, they're missing-nins wanted by several countries. Not only that but I haven't been exactly discouraging them by letting them kiss me without a punch or two have I?_ Sakura replied with thinly disguised sarcasm.

However, her quick mental conversation with her inner self had given her the perfect idea to halt his effort to kiss her.

Sensing her Sakura's idea, Inner nodded in consent. Claiming that it was a wonderful idea, especially since Hidan had been very crude and vulgar to her.

"Shannaro!" The pinkette striked the silver haired nin before her, chakra pumping in her limbs. Of course, he was able to dodge the majority of her attack. Hidan was a member of Akatsuki after all, it would be shameful if he wasn't able to evade a simple punch from her fist. To her utmost satisfaction, there was a few drops of blood on her knuckles. Meaning that she had been able to graze him at the very least.

"Tch…..you little bitch." He growled, his fingers ghosting over the cut she had given him on his lips with a rather nasty punch.

"That's what you get for even trying to-" Sakura was cut of by his vicious snarl.

"For what?! I just wanted to taste you, to fucking kiss the woman that has been on my mind since the day she got here!" He backed her up against the wall, reminding the pinkette of when another man had tried to bully her around. However, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of being a weak little child. Nor was she going to get into these compromising situations anymore.

"Shut up! I don't want to listen to anymore of this crap about kissing me!" She screamed back at him, matching his anger with her own.

"What?! Who else has been trying to get what is mine?" Hidan questioned angrily, spouting nonsense about sacrificing them to Jashin and the like.

Sakura felt pure, unadulterated rage flowing through her veins after hearing his words.

"Listen to me, because I'm only going to say this once." She lowered her voice into a silent growl, thoroughly frightening (not that he would admit it) and pleasuring Hidan.

"You better let everyone in this fucking hellhole know too." The pinkette straightened her spine and looked him straight in the eye. His were alight with amusement and desire, hers were burning with fury and outrage.

"I, Sakura Haruno, do not and will never belong to anyone." Sakura finished with a serious expression, her mouth set in a grim line.

Hidan laughed at this, finding pure joy at the challenge set before him. Which he had every intention to accomplish with flying colors.

"That's what you think." He stated before leaning in close, fully intent on claiming her mouth for himself.

But Sakura was quicker, she blocked his mouth with her hand. Effectively keeping her lips free of his, although at a price. Instead of kissing her lips, he was kissing the back of her hand.

_Don't these men know when to quit?_

Before she knew it, Hidan had lapped up his own blood from her hand. The tip of his tongue darting out to lick the red spots on her creamy skin.

To her embarrassment, he had started groaning.

"Damn...your skin tastes so sweet...even sweeter with blood." The medic-nin felt a pound of lead being dropped in tot he pit of her stomach. Thinking it wasn't really normal for a man to start complementing you on the flavor of your skin, especially coupled with his own blood. But then again, Hidan was far from being a normal man.

"I fucking love your punches. You don't hold back all that rage you've got all bottled up inside you. It's so damn delicious."

Green eyes widened at his actions, with a grunt, she pulled away from him. Scrambling across the tiled floor in an effort to put some distance between herself and the jashin worshipper.

"You can't run from me Sakura-chan." Purple eyes were intense and burning with determination.

"Don't even bother to freaking hide." His footsteps echoed as he started walking away, his breath coming out in harsh pants.

"You know why?" Hidan was already at the door, his back was facing towards her.

Even though she knew he couldn't see her, she glared daggers at him. Defiant even to her last breath, she didn't need to say it. They both knew how strong and stubborn she was. Regrettably, Sakura had no idea how obsessive Hidan could be.

"I've already had a taste, no matter how damn small. And not even the fires of hell can keep me away from you blossom." He didn't bother turning around, he just waved absentmindedly with his left hand. Leaving the room with tension filled air.

Sakura stood up slowly, afraid that she might fall from all the stress that she was under. Give her violent and brutal enemies, she would pummel them without a second thought. But several determined attractive men vying for her attention? She had no idea how to even approach the problem.

As the medic-nin made her way to the door after waiting over ten minutes to ensure she wouldn't see Hidan anymore, she noticed something red and black hanging over the edge of the sink.

After closer inspection, she found out it was Hidan's Akatsuki robe. Had he left it here for her to cover herself ? Or did he simply forget? Sakura mulled on these two possibilities as she headed to her room. Wearing a still warm and very large red and black robe that belonged to a certain foul mouthed jashinist.

* * *

Hope you liked it! Lots of love and thanks to….

Coco

xwickedcharmx (No problem, I love Deisaku, so it was fun to write this chapter!)

angelofthelord15 (Thanks for the idea, im totally inspired right now! YOSH!)

SilverIcy (Thank you my new reviewer! Oh goodness I feel so blessed)

Gal Can't Help it (Thanks so much for PMing me about my slip up. In all honesty I'm really trying to make this story good for everyone. Actually, I'm just 15 but I really wanted to write fanfic so here it is! Hope you like the new update)

LoVeLeSs AnD bEtRaYeD (Yeap, Deidara is a sweetie! under all that toughness is a total softie )

Dina Sana (here's a new update for ya! Hope you like it )

Eternal-DreamWriter ( thanks so much!)

ItachiFanGirl185 (Haha really? Well, who wouldn't want to be in Sakura's shoes right now hun.)

Trunksmybaby (Thank you! )

Shadow Wolf (Thanks fro your review and as promised, here is the latest update! Another one is on it's way!)

Akemi Spangler (haha you're totally right)

Goddess of WAR1Keeper of TIME (Yey new reviewer! I'm happy that you like my story )

Till' next time ;) - VZ


	20. C r a v e

I don't own Naruto! and please read the AN after the story :) thank you! Happy reading ;) - VZ

* * *

The halls were quiet and so was the woman walking through them. Her mind was filled with thoughts of stolen kisses, impossible promises and her much needed escape plan. Sakura hardly got any sleep the night before; certain Akatsuki members in particular situations would plague her dreams. Something she had to avoid at all costs. And so here she was, making her way through several corridors in hopes for an exit door. Which was highly unlikely but still worth a shot. She rationalized that since they were underground, there must be a staircase here somewhere right? The only problem was finding it.

Her search proved to be fruitless, a fact that hadn't shocked her. Considering how many times she tried and failed to find a way out of this place.

She sighed in exasperation, halting her steps and crossing her arms. A chill raced down her spine, as if ice cubes were dropped into her yukata and slid down her back. She simply couldn't help but feel eyes on her body. But whenever she checked to see if her instincts were right, she would be greeted by nothing more than thin air.

_This is getting ridiculous, how are we supposed to leave?_ Sakura turned to her Inner voluntarily for the first time.

**Leave? Why in Kami's name would you want to leave?** Inner asked, her tone was horrified and disbelieving.

Green eyes rolled at this.

_Isn't it obvious? We are trapped in an enemy's underground base for who knows how long!_

**…And?**

Sakura scoffed out loud at her inner's bland reply.

**Don't tell me you don't actually enjoy the company here.**

Just as she was about to retort, Inner added yet another comment with an evil smirk.

**We both know you do. But don't blame yourself; any female would enjoy being around hot, sexy men.**

_Criminals! _Sakura corrected her inner self with a hard tone.

**...And?**

_Shut up!_

The pinkette nibbled on her bottom lip, nervousness and anxiety from her dreams last night was returning fast.

**Damn…I remember the Uchiha' s oh so talented mouth. I knew he was a genius but….whew!**

Inner Sakura fanned herself rapidly, a flush steadily making its way to her face. Unfortunately, outer Sakura was experiencing the same predicament.

Before she could argue with her some more, She saw something move in her peripheral vision. Immediately, her hand got the blade that was inside her kunai holster strapped to her thigh underneath all the folds of her black and white yukata.

Kunai gripped tightly in her hand, she commanded chakra into her legs. To speed up her movements so that she could catch whoever has been watching her for some time.

* * *

Zetsu wouldn't call it stalking exactly, more like observing. Yes, that sounded much better. It was a hobby of his, observing unique shinobi. Sadly, he wasn't given the chance to do so ever since leader had assigned him mission after mission. But Kami must have looked down on him and thought her deserved a blessing. For a pink haired kunoichi with expressive green eyes and super human strength had been captured just by chance. He was happy for this stroke of good luck, now he could watch her skills and abilities up close. Especially whenever she trained with one of the other Akatsuki members. He admired her strength and determination. Not only that, but her mere presence sparked an unusual feeling inside him the more he observed her.

And so he spent the remainder of his free time watching her. Regarding the pinkette from the distance and always cloaked within the shadows. Zetsu took extra care when following her, masking his chakra signature perfectly and not making a single sound.

Black Zetsu would always comment how delicious she looked. Which would sometimes confuse white Zetsu because their favorite food was 'chewy people'. Beings with lots of meat on their bones

And then a thought hit him almost instantly. What if his other half didn't want to eat her like the other times? What if he simply wanted her? The thought scared and elated White Zetsu. It was completely unheard of. Craving a person's skin for a whole other reason that consumption. However, the idea was not rejected totally. Just approached with caution.

And so here he was, trailing the kunoichi silently. The only difference with this observation was that he was much closer to her form than ever before. White Zetsu could literally feel his other half's hunger for the female. Which was odd because this had never happened before. Nevertheless, he decided not to question it and proceed with his examination of the girl.

White Zetsu didn't know how he had gotten so careless or this girl was really that talented, because there was now a blade directed towards his throat.

He stilled instantly, his upper torso was visible, protruding from the surface of the wall.

The medic-nin seemed unfazed by his appearance and the situation they were in. Instead of looking the least bit frightened or scared. She looked deadly, her eyes narrowed and her stance strong.

Black Zetsu was roaring at him to get closer, to close the short distance between them, regardless of the sharp tip of her weapon poised against him. But White Zetsu firmly decided to stay put and continue what he had come here to do. Which was to observe.

Sakura was shocked; she did not expect to see Zetsu of all people to be following her. But then again she wouldn't put it past him to do such a thing. So they stayed like that, his upper body coming out of a wall and she was directly in front of him. It was after five minutes of relentless staring that she gave up and asked him why he was following her.

Before White Zetsu could tell her the truth, Black Zetsu barged in.

**"How very self-centered for you to think that I'm following you. Who's to say I'm not heading in the same direction."** A deep, husky voice said to her.

The pinkette reddened, finding truth in his words but she still had a gut feeling that he had been stalking her.

"I am not self-centered Zetsu, and don't bother to hide it. I know you were following me, I could sense your chakra signature. No matter how faint it is because you've masked it." She stated, not yet returning her blade into its holster.

Zetsu' s eyes widened at the sound of his name on her lips. Then it noticeably darkened.

White Zetsu could feel his counter part practically growling.

_"Forgive me Haruno-san, I was just curious about you."_ He said to the medic-nin.

Green eyes were calculating.

Sakura had done background on Zetsu before; she knew that he had two personalities. So she wasn't astonished when she heard two very different voices coming from him. The first one was deep and slightly gruff, almost animalistic. While the other one was calmer, much more…. carefree. Almost the total opposite of the first one.

"Curious?..." She trailed off, waiting for him to explain.

_"Yes, I was intrigued by your sheer strength and healing skills._" He said like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"….oh." Sakura slowly lowered her weapon, then attaching it back to her thigh, her eyes never leaving his face. Which wasn't ugly at all. She couldn't help herself but she noticed his startling green hair and dual colored skin. The first word that entered her mind when she first saw him was 'exotic'.

And the plant around his body interested the medic-nin within her beyond belief.

A growl interrupted her thoughts.

Green eyes clashed with a haunting yellow.

The pinkette resisted looking away, she will not show fear to the enemy.

**"You fear us Sakura."**

She finally found out that the white part of Zetsu was much more polite while the other one was much more bold, which means the black part of him had just spoken to her.

"I do not fear you, both of you." She declared.

_"You acknowledge us."_ White Zetsu said his tone was stunned.

"….So?" Sakura asked, mild annoyance was biting into her.

_"Fascinating."_

**"She is."** For once, they both agreed.

His gaze suddenly changed, thoroughly scaring her.

The look on his face was the kind she was receiving from almost all the Akatsuki members.

Smoldering in every sense of the word, his strange eyes were heated and looking only at her.

"I-I have to go now." She turned and was about to leave when he spoke.

_"It's rude to leave so suddenly."_

Anger sparked within her, soon it grew into a inferno of rage. The medic-nin knew it wasn't right to lash out at Zetsu and relieve all her stress on him. But the floodgates were open and she couldn't stop the flow of fury.

"You want to talk about what's rude? Here's an example, stalking!" She huffed and crossed her arms, glaring at the man attached to the wall next to her.

_"…..it's called observing from a distance."_ He stated almost meekly.

The anger in her slowly dwindled down into dim flame. It didn't disappear but it wasn't as big as before.

"It's creepy." She said.

_"It's educational."_ He argued softly, his body slowly creeping out of the wall.

"Disturbing."

_"Enlightening."_

"Ugh!" Sakura almost screamed in frustration. What made it worse was how amused he looked.

By now, his body was completely free of the concrete wall and he invaded her personal space. With that same look in his eye. Zetsu' s body loomed above hers, making her feel very short. Sakura noticed one dark and pale arm coming around her body. Before she could run away very fast, those arms pulled her flush against his body.

"Wha-" She didn't finish, for a deep and equally dark voice whispered into her ear.

**"I crave you Sakura Haruno….You will not deny me this."** Something wet and warm touched the shell of her ear. She gasped at the contact.

**"Mm…. mouthwatering."** He murmured before licking the skin under her ear, making her shiver inwardly.

_"Sakura, forgive us for doing this so suddenly. But we cannot help ourselves. Not when you are involved."_ The calm voice of Zetsu uttered, forcing her closer and angling her head. Once her head was snug under his chin, he was satisfied.

"L-let me go Zetsu!" Sakura struggled as much as she could.

A strangled groan left his mouth, surprising the pinkette.

_"We may look like a piece of vegetation, maybe even a monster….."_

**"But we are, after all a man."** Black Zetsu finished with another groan.

The medic-nin caught onto his words quickly, her movements stopped. But not before something hot and hard was pressed onto her body. Her green eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"Oh my…."

**Kami** Inner breathed, continuing Sakura's sentence.

The last thing She saw before passing out in Zetsu' s arms was a familiar red head walking down the hallway towards them with an equally familiar blonde. She saw their shocked eyes and Deidara's gaping mouth before her eyelids slid shut.

* * *

Hope you liked it :) Lots of love and thanks who reviewed last chapter and read this one. By the way, it would really mean a lot to me if you guys read my other story :) It's called 'rapture' Please read and review! Love you all and till' next time! - VZ


	21. B a d - b o y

I don't own Naruto - VZ

* * *

Kisame was epically pissed. Sufficed to say that he wasn't in the mood for anything else right now. Especially after recent events that just made his day from bad to worse.

The morning started well enough, a quick mission with Itachi then a bit of sake to relieve the stress he had gotten from a few rouge nins. He had been on his way to a certain pink haired medic for some help with a couple scratches he had acquired from his enemies, when the strangest thing had happened.

Right there in the middle of a hallway, was Deidara and Sasori. Both had brandished their signature weapons and were ganging up against Zetsu of all people. To say he was surprised was an understatement. At first he was content to just sit back and enjoy the show when he actually noticed the dual colored man clutching something to his chest. And after closer inspection, the mist-nin found out it was a someone. Someone with very familiar pink hair. It only took another few seconds to realize Sakura was being held very tightly and rather intimately with a fellow Akatsuki member.

But before he could pummel the poor man to the ground where he usually was for hugging the medic-nin so closely, he actually registered the conversation around him.

"What do you think you're doing yeah?" The blonde snarled, his posture was rigid and his expression was feral.

**"You have eyes, what do you think we're doing out here in a secluded hallway?"** Black Zetsu said wickedly, the strange yellow of his eyes were glinting evilly.

"Release her immediately, unless you wish to die a very painful and slow death." Sasori threatened softly, but his quiet voice did nothing to conceal the rage he felt in that moment. The red head knew he had practically staked his claim on her. Kissing her in front of the majority of the Akatsuki members was a good example of that. True, he hadn't been able to see her lately but he was on his way to fix that. That is, until Zetsu had decided to stand in his way, quite literally in this situation.

A harsh laugh echoed in the hallway.

**"Oh? I like Sakura right where she is."** The almost animalistic voice of Zetsu growled and nuzzled the side of Sakura's face. Effectively angering both artists and a particular mist-nin somewhere in the end of the corridor.

_"She has not expressed any feelings or sort of affection for any of you has she?"_ The calmer voice of Zetsu asked, his tone merely curious.

Deidara looked ready to throttle him on the spot, Sasori didn't look any different.

_"Besides, my blossom hasn't tried to escape yet, she is still in my arms."_ His voice was taunting and biting at the same time.

The bomber stuffed his hands into his clay pouches and the mouths on each palm were chewing on his explosive clay rapidly. While the puppeteer readied his chakra strings, the expression on his face promised death.

Kisame chose this exact moment to step in and stop the fighting before it can actually begin. The last thing anyone wanted was leader to be scolding them for the destruction of yet another base. And this one was underground, tons of earth and dirt was just about ready to crush them into oblivion.

"Hey! What the hell is going on here?!" He yelled, pretending to have only noticed their fighting. Although he was here the entire time and was well aware of the situation. But he didn't have to fake his anger. He had plenty of that after seeing the pinkette wrapped in Zetsu' s arms.

Nobody paid any attention to him.

Kisame sighed and decided to do things the hard way.

He then walked over to the two artists and grabbed the back of their shirts by the collar. The mist-nin turned on his heel and deposited them a few yards away from the girl and the Akatsuki member.

The looks on their faces were incredulous and disbelieving. If it were any other setting, he might've laughed himself silly at their stupid, gaping expressions. Too bad he just didn't have time for that. There were much more pressing, important matters to attend to.

Kisame faced Zetsu, a serious expression plastered to his blue face.

He held his muscled arms out, waiting.

"Give her here Zetsu." He ordered.

It was almost frightening, watching his strangely colored eyes harden instantly at his command. If anything, his grip on Sakura tightened even further.

**"Why? You don't own her."**

Rage spiked in Kisame. He straightened his spine so that he literally loomed over Zetsu.

"Oh yeah? Well neither do you."

They stayed like that, glaring at each other relentlessly, until a small and feminine groan snapped them both out of their little staring contest.

"Hey there kiddo, you okay?" Kisame knew he must have sounded fucking ridiculous, but he couldn't find the effort to care. He was too bust doting over the pinkette stirring in Zetsu' s arms to notice the strange looks Deidara, Sasori and Zetsu were giving him.

"K-kisame?" She mumbled sleepily, her eyelids were half closed. So he could only see hints of clear green.

The mist-nin nodded and once again, looked at his fellow Akatsuki member.

No longer with anger but with a blank expression. After seeing Sakura unharmed and safe, most of his fury had been doused with her mere presence.

"She needs to rest." Kisame gestured to her form and gave a scowl. Daring him to refuse his order, it was for her benefit after all.

Zetsu wanted to decline the mist-nin' s offer. Not because he didn't want her to rest, the opposite actually. However, he felt like he should be the one to take her to her room. But then again, if he did so, Kisame would most likely ask how he knew where her room was. The mist-nin would then get suspicious of him and he would most likely have to stop his observation of the medic-nin. Which was something he did not wish for in the slightest.

Zetsu merely grunted and gently, almost lovingly (to Kisame' s utmost surprise) placed Sakura within his arms.

And with a final, lingering glance at the pinkette, he left. Melting into the concrete wall and disappearing without a sound.

"Hey Kisame?...do you think you can take me to my room?" Sakura asked with a slight blush on her cheeks. She really didn't want to admit it but she was quite comfortable in his embrace. It wasn't the nicest thing to do, using her little fainting spell to her advantage. Especially since it made her look weak in front of S ranked criminals. Nevertheless, she mumbled an apology for asking such a thing and promised to make it up to him soon.

What she didn't know was how attached the majority of the Akatsuki members were to her. And some hoped it would stay that way. After all, if she knew how wrapped they were around her finger, who knows what she could make them do.

Kisame found her request endearing, and a part of him swelled with warmth. He was very pleased that Sakura was relaxed enough in his presence that she would trust him to hold her like this.

Did he know how far his feelings went for her? No.

Did he know how far the other's feelings went for her? Unfortunately, yes.

It was hard to see Sasori mope around whenever she wasn't near. Or how irritating it was to notice Deidara' s adoring looks at her back. Even the human ice block seemed to have warmed up to her, which was the last thing he expected from his emotionless partner.

"Sure thing kid, just make sure to repay me with another sparring session." He said while carrying her with ease. Completely ignoring the enraged expressions on both Deidara and Sasori' s faces.

"I-yawn-am not a kid…..I am a sexy woman." She pouted, her jade eyes appearing lethargic.

Kisame wanted to agree wholeheartedly to that statement. But considering she would most probably hit him (although in her sleepy state he highly doubted that) and it was really amusing. He eventually chose to keep silent, taking inventory of her words so that he can tease her about it later.

Yeah, he liked her. He liked her a whole damn lot. But he was still a missing-nin who had responsibilities. Besides, it would be best if he stopped the whole kissing thing. Not that he didn't like it, he sure as hell did. Just the same, Kisame didn't want to push her limits.

_Great, now I gain a conscience. _he thought sadly.

Sakura laughed lightly before falling back into blissful darkness, completely missing the goofy smile on the mist-nin's lips.

* * *

Sakura woke up to the color orange, lots of it.

"Yey! You're awake!" Tobi exclaimed before doing a little happy dance.

She looked around and saw that she was under the covers and inside her room.

"Now Tobi is a good boy! Kisame will reward Tobi like the good boy that he is." He started shaking his rump, thoroughly amusing the pinkette currently huddled within her blankets.

She leaned on her arm, propping herself up.

"How long have I been sleeping Tobi?" she asked pleasantly.

In all honesty, she found herself at ease with the mask wearing shinobi, not that he wasn't a threat. It just meant she was much more comfortable around him than certain Akatsuki members. What are the chances that Tobi would start invading her personal space and declare her his? He was like a five year old stuck in a grown man's body. And last she checked, children didn't start having urges like that till they were at least past the first few stages of puberty.

"A few hours at most. Tobi was keeping guard." He nodded vigorously.

_keeping guard? from what? _she wondered, deciding to question the mist-nin about it later.

"Oh….that's nice, I feel well rested at least." Sakura muttered to herself and jumped out of bed. Fully intent on taking a hot shower before heading off to breakfast. Hopefully she'd be able to come up with a better escape plan than last time.

"Where are you going Sakura-chan?" Tobi asked, rocking on the balls of his feet much like a child.

This action supported her theory of him having the mentality of a kid.

"The bathroom, I'll be quick. Don't touch anything okay?" The pinkette gave him a hard look before entering the tiled room.

"Yes Sakura-chan! Tobi will not touch any of your stuff, because he is-"

"A good boy, I got it." She said with a slight smile before shutting the door behind her. Ready to immerse herself in steaming hot water.

Unfortunately, her peaceful bath had been cut short by a fairly girlish scream.

With a sigh at the loss of her shower time, she wrapped herself in the towel next on the rack next to the showerhead.

As soon as Sakura opened the door, she was hardly ready for the scene in front of her.

"You have got to be kidding me."

* * *

"Where the hell do you think you're going blondie?" Hidan sneered at Deidara, who was holding a clay creation in his hand. A kitten from the looks of it, a really cute one.

"None of your business." He answered simply, too busy wondering if Sakura would like his newest creation. He had made it for her in hopes that she would cheer up. No, he didn't know what happened for the medic-nin to just faint in Zetsu' s arms. But it must've been bad if she actually lost consciousness. So he molded a small clay cat, a kitten to be precise. This way, Sakura wouldn't be so alone in her room. That and he sent a bit of his chakra into the tiny animal. The cat was set to warn him if ever something were to happen to the blossom.

"Shut up, you both sound like children. Geez, maybe I shouldn't have drank all that sake last night." Kisame added, rubbing the side of his head in hopes of relieving the pain there.

"It's your fucking problem fish head." Hidan remarked.

"And when did you get here?" The blonde asked the larger man.

"Just now, I'm headed over to the kid. Hopefully she's in a good enough mood to heal my hangover." He muttered gruffly.

"Kid? I noticed you call her that a lot Kisame. Why though? She's definitely not a little girl." Deidara commented casually.

Hidan nodded at this.

"Hell yeah. She's seriously-" he was cut off by Kisame' s vicious snarl.

"Don't you even dare say something perverted Hidan. Don't even try thinking about it."

But before the jashin worshiper could retaliate, Deidara spoke.

"Is that Tobi's voice coming from Sakura-chan' s room?" His tone was unbelieving.

The three Akatsuki members stopped in front of the medic-nin's door, listening.

It was silent for a while, and then they heard it.

"Take it off Tobi!" Sakura groaned from the other side of the door.

Three pairs of eyes widened at the sound.

"Tobi is trying Sakura-chan." Tobi's childish voice whined.

"Then try harder! Hurry before I rip it off your body!"

Three jaws dropped at her threat.

"S-sakura-chan?" The bomber stuttered, his cheeks red.

"It can't be." Kisame uttered, his migraine completely forgotten.

"Oh hell no." Hidan cursed. Unconsciously reaching for his blood red scythe.

"Wait, lift your arms. Yes, just like that...Damn! It's just too tight."

A grunt could be heard.

"Tobi is sorry he's too big for Sakura-chan."

"No, it's okay. We just need to adjust a bit. Higher, no wait lower. Harder….almost there!" Sakura encouraged.

Unable to take it any longer, they all burst through the door. With only one thought in mind- **Kill Tobi**.

"Where the fuck are you brat! I'm going to sacrifice you to jashi-" Hidan never finished his rant, his jaw was too busy hanging to catch flies.

Right there before them, was Sakura and Tobi. Who was wearing-what was most likely-her bra.

The pinkette was stunned, not expecting to see Akatsuki members at her doorway. What made the picture worse or better for some people, was Sakura was only wearing towel. Reminding Hidan of the close encounter he had with the pinkette recently. It gave him a pleasurable chill, just thinking about her trembling form. But he shook is head, focusing is energy on the masked nin. Hidan was waiting for an answer, and judging by the awkward silence, he wasn't the only one.

Tobi scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Tobi was a bad boy. He touched Sakura-chan's stuff. But he was just curious, so please don't punish him!" He held his hands up in surrender.

It was at that moment that Sakura decided.

Yes, Tobi really was a child.

* * *

Hope you liked it, it may not be my best update but I'll work harder on the next one. Lots of love and thanks to all my reviewers and readers. Till next time! - VZ


	22. P e t - n a m e s

I don't own Naruto and please read the AN on the bottom! – VZ

* * *

"What are you going to name her yeah?" The blonde sitting next to her on the couch asked, pointing to his clay creation purring in Sakura's lap.

"Hm….I was thinking….." She trailed off, wondering what exactly to name her new pet.

At first she was shocked at seeing a few of the Akatsuki members barging through her door with weapons and deathly glares all directed at Tobi. But after explaining the situation to them with a sheepish grin, they all understood. To her surprise, Deidara had come up to her and given her a gift. It was a kitten, made from his clay and his chakra. In a way she was touched by this gesture, but then she was also disconcerted. It wasn't good to be receiving presents from your enemy, much less something she would cherish.

"….Kumiko." She decided. Petting the soft surface of the kitten's skin. Since it was clay, it was completely devoid of fur. Instead, it had the white and slick exterior that all of Deidara' s creations had.

"That's a good choice yeah." He commented, although he thought that whatever name she wanted, he would still complement her choice. Damn…he really was turning soft. And all thanks to a certain pink haired medic that he can't seem to forget about. Not that he wanted to of course.

Sakura chuckled as Kumiko crawled up her body and settled on her shoulder, nuzzling her chin affectionately.

"Hey Deidara-kun, I just wanted to say thanks. I really appreciate your gift. It helped me take my mind off some things." She said with genuine appreciation. Having the tiny cat around had distracted her from several people that she'd rather not think about at the moment.

The blonde coughed into his hand as a bit of red streaked across his cheeks.

"No problem yeah, it was easy to make her. Although it took a bit more time, I would have given Kumiko to you earlier but….I'm much better at spiders and birds." He admitted, scratching the back of his head with an embarrassed grin, reminding her of Naruto whenever he messed up but was eager to apologize.

And suddenly, a pang of homesickness hit her, so did the guilt of being comfortable with the enemy of her village and best friend. Sakura knew that she was getting attached, that's why it was best if she left as soon as possible. Just a few hours ago, luck had finally decided to look down upon her with a smile. For leader had assigned her another mission with Kisame and Itachi. The assignment was rather simple, just find then assassinate the target. Just like her last mission with them but there were two differences from before and now. One, the information given to them was much more accurate. Well, judging by the yells and screams of one of the target's employees. Two, their mission was at the border of fire country.

This was her one opportunity to leave, she had to take it, it was for the best.

"I think you did a perfect job on Kumiko Deidara-kun." She said with a small grin, the kind that made the bomber just want to stop and stare at her smile forever.

"Well, I better go. I have to get ready for my mission with Itachi and Kisame." Sakura stood up and was about to leave. But a hand caught hers in a gentle but firm grasp.

Green eyes immediately met with light blue, so light that it seemed almost grey.

His gaze was serious which startled her a bit. The medic-nin was so used to seeing his face so happy and carefree, even more so whenever he had a chance to make something blow up.

"Be safe Sakura-chan. I don't want anything bad to happen to you." He said, his grip slightly tightening.

Her heart ached for him. All he wanted was her safety when she was about to use this mission to her advantage and escape. She even had both her shishou's scrolls packed under the folds of her yukata. Yes, she was able to keep it. Her confrontation with Pein and the ruining of his office had distracted every Akatsuki member from the twin scrolls she clutched tightly to her chest. Through time, they even forgot about it and no one bothered to ask where it was.

"I'll be fine Deidara-kun, trust me okay?" The pinkette hated herself for her choice of words but it couldn't be helped. The best thing to do was to make everyone around her think she was so comfortable and at home, that they wouldn't even think that she'd even want to escape.

Kumiko meowed and placed one tiny paw against her new owner's cheek, making her feel even worse about what she was going to do. The blonde had given her a gift and she was repaying him with betrayal. But then again, it's not like she held any real loyalty to this organization right?

"Of course I trust you Sakura-chan, I just don't want you to get hurt." He said so softly that she had to lean closer just to hear his words.

It still astonished her how much he cared for her safety, how close they had gotten in the span of a few meetings.

"I won't. Don't you think I'm strong enough to handle it?" She teased him, poking his cheek with her finger. The attempt was meant to make the atmosphere lighter, yet her action had just made him look sadder.

"No, it's not that yeah. I know you can take care of yourself….." Deidara inched closer to her.

Sakura was inwardly afraid of what was going to happen next, but deep down, she was anticipating it as well.

After a few moments, their faces were a hair's breadth apart.

Sakura knew in her mind this was wrong, yet why did she feel in her heart that it was right?

"…..but I want you to know that….." His tone was gentle yet strong, just like the man he was.

His hot breath fanned across her face and heightened her temperature exponentially. Her heart was beating so loud and fast she wondered if he could hear it.

"…..you don't have to." Deidara leaned in and kissed her…..

….on the cheek.

She could feel his warm lips caressing the skin there so very lightly.

His gentlemanly behavior just struck a chord with her. The way he respected her boundaries and never crossed them, it was very flattering and heartwarming.

"Deidara-kun…."

"That one was for the road, so you won't miss me too much." He said in a light and mischievous voice, but once again it dropped into a husky whisper.

"Like I said….I won't kiss you unless you really want me to."

And with that, she nodded and left the room shakily.

Not seeing the hurt expression or the longing look on Deidara' s face.

* * *

As Deidara sat back down on the couch, he fisted his hands tightly. A frown marred his boyish features, making him look far older than he really was.

"Dammit…." He cursed under his breath.

He knew that she was going to try and escape sooner or later yet why did it hurt so much?

The blonde had a feeling he was far more attached to the cherry blossom than he used to be.

At first he was merely interested and attracted to her, but then that attraction soon turned into something deeper. He liked being with her. He liked her smile, temper, strength and so much more.

And that's what scared Deidara the most. Not only was he getting soft, he was alright with that. As long as he was by her side, none of it mattered.

He ran one hand through his blonde hair, feeling even more lost than ever before.

* * *

"We'll stay here for the night, then we can meet up with our target early in the morning." Kisame stated.

"Hn." Itachi nodded and Sakura gave a small smile.

They were inside an inn; it was clean enough, with a few visitors that didn't look too shady.

There were lanterns that lighted the area and gave a warm glow to the place.

"Go on angel, get us a room. I don't think that guy is gonna let us in looking like this." The mist-nin gestured to their Akatsuki cloaks. Sakura understood, leader wanted them to complete their mission without any witnesses. True they could threaten them to keep their mouths shut but it was less of a hassle this way.

Wait…..did Kisame just call her-

"Angel?" She asked, her pink eyebrow arching at his new pet name for her.

"Yeah, well…." He continued off with a shy grin, not flashing all of his sharp teeth as usual.

"Well Kisame?" The Sharingan was blazing vivid red.

"Uh….You see, Deidara asked me why I kept calling you kid. Then I thought about it, you aren't a kid anymore. And angel was the next best thing." He finished, looking anywhere but Itachi' s deathly gaze and Sakura's impish grin.

"Really? Actually, I like it." She decided, bumping Kisame' s shoulder with her fist, without chakra of course.

He smiled; his signature sharp-toothed grin was back.

"But why though?" she wondered.

"Oh, that's a secret." He said, making the gesture of twisting an imaginary key over his lips. As if he was literally sealing his mouth shut. The movement made her roll her green eyes and smile, with a wave she left to get their room keys from the manager of the inn.

He turned his attention to his partner, who looked as stoic and emotionless as ever. But Kisame knew he wanted an answer for the new pet name and why he chose 'angel' of all things. And so, with a sigh he tried to make sense of why he called her that.

"It seems a bit stupid but I think it fits ya know? She's so innocent and pure, even though she's killed like us, she's completely different."

Itachi still stared at him.

"Angel is how I'd describe her okay? All sweet and kind." He shifted his weight to the other foot, not knowing what to do when in this type of situation.

"Be careful." The Uchiha commented while watching Sakura converse with the man at the desk.

"What do ya mean?" His partner asked, his gaze never leaving the form of the pinkette.

"It's dangerous to get attached to things or rather…..people that will never be yours." He said emotionlessly.

The grin on his face slid off after hearing his words.

Slight anger coated Kisame's voice as he spoke to the stoic man next to him.

"You're one to talk Uchiha, we both know that you feel for her."

It was silent after that, but as the medic-nin was walking toward them.

Itachi spoke.

"I do, but there is no problem with that."

Kisame was _this_ close to punching that somber expression of his partner's face.

"The hell Uchiha? You just said-" He was interrupted by a cool and calm voice, the total opposite of his own.

"She will be mine, and there is no danger of feeling something for someone that belongs to you." He muttered darkly, a mysterious glint in his blood red eyes.

Before Kisame could reply, the object of both their affections came back, room keys dangling from her hand.

"Here are the keys. I got two rooms, I hope that's alright."

"It's fine, you can take one room and we'll take the other-"

Itachi, who looked rather smug for some unknown reason, once again interrupted Kisame.

"No." He stated softly, but everyone heard him.

Confusion must have been evident on Sakura's face (Irritation on Kisame's) for he explained his answer.

"You might escape, there must be one Akatsuki member with you."

Green eyes looked less bright after he clarified.

"Oh…."

"I will take you to your room and stand guard. Kisame will go get our food and meet us in an hour at the latest."

The way he said it left no room for arguments, so everybody nodded and did as told.

* * *

Hope you liked it! Thanks again for all the great reviews and lots of love and thanks for them, you guys are the absolute best! If it's not too much trouble, I would be very happy if you'd read another story I'm working on. It's called ' e'. Anyways, only 7 more reviews till' 300! Can you believe that?! Oh goodness, I just wanted to say thanks for everything guys! Well…..Till' next time! - VZ


	23. E s c a p e

I don't own Naruto - VZ

* * *

It was sufficed to say that things were not going according to plan. She ground her teeth in frustration, hating herself for not thinking about the possibility that he would be there. Behind the door no less! If only she had thought of a plan b, then she wouldn't be here. Stuck inside the room of a run down inn, with nothing but a small bed and a tiny bathroom for company.

"Meow."

Some of her anger faded away after hearing the sound of her kitten, the one that Deidara had given her.

Well, at least she had Kumiko, crawling out of her bag with feline grace.

The pinkette kneeled down and petted the tiny cat, feeling slick surface instead of soft fur. But she liked it that way; it reminded her of the blonde. That he created Kumiko and made her specifically for her. Who knew the artistic bomber of all people had a heart. Actually, never thought he would be such a gentleman or be such a softie. Was he always like this? Will he always be like this? She certainly hoped so; it would be a waste for his behavior to change any time soon. His warm smile would go to waste as well. Although sometimes that grin would be cocky and arrogant, or devilish. Maybe even roguish that made him look like a bad boy and he knew it, reveled in it. It made him look sinfully handsome, especially when he gazed at her like that.

Sakura bit her lip in mild frustration, she shouldn't be thinking about Deidara or his smile or anything else connected to him. As attached she had become to being in his and the rest of Akatsuki's presence, it had to stop. It was illegal to merely interact with them, but to like hanging out with them? She might as well walk into her village's prison, or worse, drop her kunoichi status and turn into a civilian for the rest of her life. The medic-nin almost shuddered at that; the last thing she wanted to be was useless.

Kumiko purred and nuzzled the hand that was rubbing her neck with affection, effectively raising her spirits up a little bit. At least she would have something to remember Deidara by, but she would have to hide her. Not many people can transform ordinary clay into something amazing as Kumiko here.

It was Itachi who was her problem right now, the cold man who was standing not fifteen feet from her behind a flimsy wooden door. But then again cold wouldn't be the best way to describe him, not when he sends heated looks her way or gazing at her with such smoldering eyes. And what made it worse was those eyes were never in Sharingan mode when she was around. Sakura assumed it was because the Uchiha was aware of how much she loathed the dreaded bloodline technique. Yes it was powerful, but that's why it scared her so much. And so, ever since that fateful day when they both ate dango on her bed, he never looked at her with those vivid red eyes again. Wait…. never…

An idea struck her just then, much like lightening. The pinkette almost laughed for not thinking about it sooner, Kumiko looked up at her master curiously. She knew it was absolutely brilliant. Slightly devious and very dangerous, there was no guarantee that it would work. Nevertheless, it was worth a try. Sakura smirked at the plan she had in mind for a certain dark haired man. Hopefully he wouldn't notice until it was too late.

* * *

Itachi Uchiha was many things; pervert was never one of them. Although, the mere thought of catching Sakura in a towel or something even less, was very appealing. He could hear the shower running and his traitorous mind started imaging the pinkette standing there. With water streaming down her creamy skin, skin that he so desperately wanted to touch. Sometimes he wondered where did this attraction stem from. Her strength? Beauty? Yes, but wasn't just that. When he spent time with her (still in her ten year old form) he found himself relaxing, enjoying her presence. He was perplexed on how she had wormed her way into his life and made him feel. Really feel for her. The Uchiha recalled his promise to his partner yesterday, and he intended to keep it.

Much to his surprise, the door behind him unlocked with a 'click'.

His red eyes slightly (very slightly) widened at this. Why was she letting him in? was it an invitation or just a fluke? Maybe she wanted to leave already, but they weren't due to complete their mission for another hour.

"Itachi?" Sakura called out to him, her voice sweet but timid, almost demure.

He pushed the door open; ready to respond to her until he saw the sight before him.

If he were a lesser man, his jaw would be on the floor. But he was not any other man, he was an Uchiha.

So he settled for breathing deeper, trying to keep calm and not show any sign (even the slightest) of shock. He immediately shut the door behind him, not wanting anyone to see his blossom in such a state.

"I need your help choosing a yukata." She stated, her hands wringing nervously. A light blush painted her cheeks as Itachi roved her body with his dark gaze. He was aware of her fear and apprehension with the Sharingan, so he chose to turn it off for a while. Something he didn't do very often, but for her he'd make an exception. For now anyways, once she was his, he'd teach her that there is nothing to fear from him.

"Since when do you need help dressing?" he questioned, still suspicious to why she had asked such a thing from him. Not that he was complaining, there's no argument that he'd gladly help. But of course, he'd like to know why she chose him. Why not the mist-nin in the other room? Itachi wanted to hear her say those words, say that she valued his presence more.

"Well, Kisame is most probably asleep. That's what happens when you drink too much alcohol and stumble into your room so late at night." Sakura crossed her arms, pushing up her chest slightly and giving him a fantastic view. One that he hadn't been able to see since that night when she turned back into a woman. A woman he had every desire to ravish.

"Why didn't you sleep early? Aren't you tired from our travel?" he asked, stepping closer to her, slowly.

Sakura contemplated her words; she could very well tell him that she was up late last night planning an escape plan.

She just shrugged her shoulders, the towel around her loosening due to her actions.

Itachi's eyes followed her every movement, including the only barrier between him and her creamy skin.

His suspicions were forgotten for now, he was occupied at the moment.

"I like red, it suits you Sakura Haruno." He purred, much like Kumiko earlier. Only his voice was husky, deep and velvety. Smooth and collected, just like his personality.

Itachi motioned to the blood red yukata with black swirls decorating the hem and sleeves. Of course, she thought wryly.

"Thank you Itachi, you know….I've always worn red. Ever since I was a child, I'd wear red shirts or even dresses. But sometimes I wish my hair wasn't so bright and pink. It's hard to find clothes that not only suit my figure but my hair as well." As she ranted on, she got ready the yukata.

Once again, the medic-nin astonished him. For she walked a few paces away and actually dropped the towel secured around her body. This time, his jaw went slack. Good thing she faced the other direction or his reputation for being cold and emotionless would ruined. Because right now, he felt hot and very much aware of feelings. The strongest of them was desire, followed by awe. Her body was just as creamy and smooth as he'd imagined. She was womanly in all the right spots; places that he so desperately wanted to caress and touch. Itachi's hand actually twitched when his eyes followed the line of her spine. So gracefully arched as she stretched languidly. He pictured her chest to be pushed out enticingly since her back was curved, too bad he wasn't in front at the moment. The dark haired man noticed that her rear was curved nicely and he took time to appreciate it. The Uchiha took every detail in, absorbing each part of her body. Lean and toned in all the right places. Although, the only thing marring her flawless skin was a scar at her lower back. He stepped forward and touched it with the tis of his fingers. Barely brushing her flesh, he almost groaned. Sakura really was as soft as she looked. Once he reached her scar, she tensed.

"Who did this?" He bit out, anger coiling in the pit of his stomach.

The pinkette hesitated for a while, and then she spoke.

"It's none of your business."

Oh he liked it whenever she turned that sharp tongue on him.

"Were you involved?" Itachi placed his hands on either side of her hips, warming the skin there.

She gasped at the contact, a sound that he found very alluring.

"Obviously." She wanted to sound strong and unaffected, but her reply came out breathy.

"Then it's clearly my business." He rasped, tracing her hipbones then making patterns there. Soon his hands ran up and down her sides, very slowly.

"I…I need to get dressed Itachi. Leave now, I asked for your advice and you gave it. Which I'm thankful-" her words were cut off by a hand that brushed against the undersides of her breasts.

"Do you honestly want me to leave?"

"Y-yes."

"It's not polite to lie Sakura." He chuckled darkly, his hot breath fanning across her exposed skin. Goosebumps rose at his action.

"...Just leave, I'll see you later." The pinkette swallowed nervously.

"Hn…" Itachi gave a grunt and used the length of his nose to caress where her neck met her shoulder.

But before anything could go any further, a gruff voice interrupted them.

"Hey Angel, have you seen Itachi? We have to leave soon….Ugh..I have another headache, not that I was drinking or anything...So can you help me with that later? " Kisame sounded pained and very tired. If Sakura weren't afraid that her voice would sound breathy and unstable, she would reply to the mist-nin.

"Anyways, I'll meet you downstairs. Maybe the Uchiha is somewhere there." He muttered the last part, sounding pissed.

After Kisame's footsteps faded away, she gave a sigh of relief.

Itachi also let out a sigh, not one of relief but of pure aggravation.

"We'll continue this soon Sakura."

"Kisame is waiting Itachi, and I have to get dressed."

"Tch….you're right." Itachi didn't want to leave, but leader wouldn't like that. He wasn't as impatient as Sasori but he wasn't a saint.

The dark haired man longed to open the door and show his partner that he had fulfilled his promise. That his precious angel was now his blossom, but he couldn't let Kisame see her in such a state of undress. She wouldn't like that and neither would he. Her lovely body was for his eyes only.

A few fleeting touches later, he left.

Green eyes were slightly hazy but focused.

"I'm ready, you'd better be." She said out loud and followed Itachi out the door and down the stairs. Leaving her bag of clothes and everything else she brought to the inn in the room.

* * *

"Oh…my…Kami." Sakura fanned herself. The scene of her clone and Itachi was hot and heavy, just thinking about it brought a blush to her cheeks. She was under a concealment jutsu, inside the bathroom with the door slightly ajar. Yes, it was wrong to use his lust against him but she couldn't feel bad for him now. It was just lust after all right? It didn't matter if he could sate his sexual appetite with some other faceless woman. The thought made gave her a nasty emotion that she couldn't name grew in the pit of her stomach but she push it aside. Thinking on more important things such as her plan.

Even though his Sharingan was off, she took extra care to hide herself.

She stepped out after half an hour, to cool down and so that the Akatsuki members along with her clone would be quite far away by now. Her plan was risky but worth it. He didn't even notice the difference! Well, she did put extra detail into her creation. Even going as far as to generate an exact replica of her chakra pathways. Just like the one she made to distract Hidan, only she worked the entire night. It was ample time to focus her chakra for her clone.

"Come here Kumiko, we have to leave now." The pinkette called out for her clay kitten, which climbed out from under the bed.

She packed everything, including all the yukatas displayed on the bed. She was wearing the one Itachi picked out for her and so was her clone. Once all her things were ready, she left. But not before attaching a kunai to her thigh holster underneath the folds of her dress.

"Now I'm ready."

And with that, she disappeared, with a feeling of loss that made her heart simply ache.

* * *

"Meow?" Kumiko whined, poking her owner's cheek with a clay paw.

"I'm fine Kumiko, don't worry about me." She reassured her pet, although she knew she was lying through her teeth.

The kitten leaned forward from her perch on Sakura's shoulder to lick her cheek, it was a sweet gesture. So she gave her pet a smile of thanks and patted her clay head gently. At the moment, she was on her way to the village. But she was moving slowly, very slowly. Not only was her chest constricting every now and then because she missed _them_, her body was stinging with pain. Her muscles were throbbing and her head weak, even her bones felt heavy.

No, she had to move on. Stopping now was not an option. With every once of strength that she had, which wasn't much, she jumped on a tree branch. Then another, another…..yet her determination wasn't enough to keep her going. Despite her best efforts, she knelt and panted.

_No, I'm so close to…home._

Her chakra was drained from maintaining her clone from such a far distance and enhancing her speed so that the distance would grow even greater.

Sakura tried to think of her village and the people she loved, hopefully it would encourage her. The odd thing was, once she closed her eyes. An image of a base, underground and void of real light, appeared in mind's eye. Her last coherent thought before she slipped and fell from the trees was Akatsuki, each and every one of them. If only she had said good-bye.

* * *

"Oi…wake up kid." A white haired man poked the cheek of the girl lying on the forest floor.

"Hey! Don't touch her Suigetsu! She's all dirty and gross." The red head with them wailed on top of her lungs. Making all of them wince at the sound.

"Oh? Like you're not?" he mocked, hefting his large sword and kneeling down next to the girl.

"She's wounded." A quiet voice spoke up.

The three of them glanced at the child and the several scratches blemishing her flawless skin. There were even a few bruises here and there.

"Tch…so? We better move. I sensed Itachi's chakra signature in a village far from here. Wait…something's weird.."

A dark figure suddenly appeared the air around him was sinister and cold.

All three shinobi turned and saw their leader, who looked as emotionless as ever.

"Explain." He commanded the only girl on their team.

She blushed at the sight of him and giggled.

"Of course! Well, you see…Itachi's chakra was in a village south from here. The distance grew between us since dawn, but the weird thing is…he's coming back. To the village I mean. His chakra was erratic and….angry, there's no other way to explain it." She ranted, inching closer to the man she adored with every fiber of her being.

"Hn…."

"Hey, I think she's waking up." The white haired man called out, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Is she alright?"

"Who the hell cares!"

"Quiet." Their leader ordered and they all complied.

He then walked towards the child who lay motionless on the ground; her long pink hair surrounded her small body. He wasn't an idiot, this kid looked exactly like Sakura when she was ten years old. Although he hasn't seen her for a long time, he could still picture the girl who had once followed him around like any other fangirl. But it was simply impossible; Sakura Haruno was almost twenty if he was correct (he usually was). Did she have children? No, he doubted that. The dark haired man knew it out of the question for her to get married and conceive. Where would she find a man that would put up with her annoying behavior? What if she wedded the dope?

The three of his teammates saw their leader scoff and shake his head.

Suddenly, the girl groaned and her eyelids fluttered open.

The four of them were startled by her brilliant green eyes and the words that left her lips.

"Sasuke? Is that you?"

His dark eyes narrowed and he nodded slowly.

"Hn…"

"Oh good, I always wanted to tell you…that..."

Everyone waited, anxious to hear the girl and what she had to say.

"….You're an asshole."

Her eyelids slid shut and her breathing turned heavy and deep, signaling that she was once again asleep.

Suigetsu laughed hard at that, Karin fumed and Juugo watched.

The youngest Uchiha turned on his heel and started walking south.

"Juugo, carry her. She's leaving with us."

"But Sasuke-kun!-"

He cut her off with a glare, leaving no room for arguments. The red head huffed and flipped her hair.

Suigetsu snickered.

"What?" She demanded.

"Aw, you're jealous."

"What?! That's so stupid! Why would I get jealous of some kid?"

The man next to her shrugged, a smirk on his features.

"I have a feeling there's more to her than meets the eye. And she's definitely interesting...I like her already. No one just insults Sasuke like that and gets away with it unharmed….or alive at all." He watched Juugo lift up the child gently, taking care with her hurt body.

"Whatever idiot." She snarled at him, ready to jump high into the trees and leave for the closest village.

"Whatever idiot." He repeated in a high and squeaky voice.

"I do not sound like that!"

"Who said I was trying to sound like you?"

"Who else would you make fun of?!"

"...you have a point there." He said thoughtfully.

"UGH!"

As the two continue their bickering, Juugo observed the girl lying in his arms.

"You'll be alright….just don't insult Sasuke like that anymore."

She heard the large man's words and replied sleepily, not bothering to open her eyes.

"Can't do…that….too much…fun."

Juugo allowed himself to smile at the girl's pure tenacity.

"I don't know why or how...but i have a feeling you'll live." he spoke softly, afraid he would wake her.

And so they were off, moving and taking Sakura Haruno with them.

* * *

Hope you like it! sorry it's soloing since i last updated, i was working on the third chapter of ' e' and it would mean a lot to me if you read and review on it :) anyways, lots of love and thanks to everyone who previously reviewed. I absolutely love hearing your thoughts ;) till' next time! - VZ


	24. L i e

I don't own Naruto! - VZ

* * *

Sakura slowly opened her eyes, revealing a brilliant hue of jade. Her eyes glanced at the sky, which was inky and devoid of any trace of sunlight. Black and free of any clouds, numerous stars dotted the heavens and the moon was full and bright. Its glow gave light to the dark night, the silver contrasting brilliantly with the darkness. It was a very pretty sight, one that she would love to enjoy if it weren't for the throbbing in her head or the stinging of her limbs. She lifted her head gingerly and noticed that her body was hidden under a thick blanket.

A part of her worried that her appendages were mangled and hurt. It most certainly felt that way. Although, the aching discomfort in her entire body could not compare to the throbbing agony that was her head. It felt the contents of her skull had just been given a chakra-laden punch by Tsunade on a very bad day. In the end, curiosity got the better of her and she knew that she had to look and survey the damage. She brought up her arms gradually, afraid of the pain if she hurried her actions. The grey sheet fell away to reveal a sight that the pinkette never wanted to see again.

What met her green eyes shocked her beyond belief. Her arms were covered in white bandages, the gauze was stained a brilliant red. This was a sure sign that she was still bleeding, if not than the blood would have dried and crusted over, maybe even turning into an unsightly shade of muddy brown. However, it wasn't her injuries that frightened Sakura, it was her limbs. They were short and petite, something that was fairly impossible. A strangled sob left her mouth as she took note at the rest of her form. Not only were her arms wrapped in gauze but also her legs, and they were tiny as well. Her hands patted her entire form, hoping that what she was seeing was not the truth. Unfortunately, it was. Sakura hung her head down in complete and utter frustration. But once she did so, incredibly long pink locks of hair fell to her lap.

_Not again…._

As much as she wanted to mope and sulk about her unfortunate situation, she knew that there were much more important matters to attend to, her injured body for example.

Sakura tried moving her fingers and toes, carefully. Once she made sure that all her body parts were still moving and functioning correctly, she attempted to stand. Sadly, it wasn't the best try. The mattress shifted under her weight falling back onto it. The medic-nin knew she had to leave this foreign place soon.

There was no way that she would lie around in the middle of nowhere, confused and injured.

Another throb of her pained head disagreed and begged to stay put.

"Oh Kami…. my head." A disgruntled groan escaped her lips, testifying her discomfort and pangs at the moment.

"You're awake."

The girl jumped at the sound of someone speaking, the voice was obviously a man's. Unless there were women around who spoke in such low timbres. The tone of the mystery man's voice was soft and slightly tense. But it was very subtle that you can hardly notice it, yet Sakura did.

"Who's out there?" she called out, her voice slightly hoarse because of her dry throat.

"….Not your enemy." He hesitated before coming out of the shadows, appearing before her under the light of the silver moon.

"But obviously not my friend, how can I trust you?" She questioned the man with dark skin and a head of wild, untamed orange hair. His stance was strong yet he seemed weary somehow, as if he was simply tired of something. Sakura's first instinct was to ask what was wrong but she suddenly realized that he could kill her. True, the guy wasn't charging at her with shuriken or kunais. But it didn't mean he could easily overpower her, considering the circumstances. Which were her bruised and battered body, a body that looked to be a ten year old's.

The man shrugged his shoulders, giving her a rather sheepish smile.

"You can't."

_Well that was helpful. _

"…wonderful." Sarcasm coated her voice like frosting on a cake.

To her surprise, the guy's lip twitched upwards. As if he was about to smile but refrained himself from doing so.

Sakura tried lifting herself up again, but she'd always stumble and fall back onto the cold, hard soil of the earth. The man didn't utter another word, merely stood there and watched with something akin to sympathy shining in his eyes. This went on for a while, her almost standing then weakness would overcome her and she would simply crumble. He would just watch and sometimes step forward to help her, however, her eyes would stop him in his tracks. They were filled with so much determination and fire. Those green orbs would swirl with so much emotions that it made him dizzy.

"Little girl, I think its best if you just rest." He finally spoke after seeing the pinkette stagger and drop once more.

"I have a name you know, its not 'little girl'." Her voice was just as tenacious as it was the day he met her.

Juugo shifted his weight nervously as he contemplated how to subdue the child. Sasuke wouldn't like it if he lost their prisoner. Not that she would get far, especially with her depleted strength. But then again, was she their captive? Yes, he had seen the calculating and intrigued look in the Uchiha's usually stoic eyes. And above all, He was curious to why he had ordered them to bring and dress her wounds. Their master had commanded him to watch over the girl as she slept. While he was standing guard, Karin and Sasuke left for the village where the red head had sensed the older Uchiha's chakra signature. And Suigetsu was busy gathering supplies and more bandages for the girl.

"What is it? Your name I mean." he wondered aloud, hoping to at least keep her distracted so she wouldn't practically crawl on her belly to escape. Where would the child go anyway? It really was odd, to find a pink haired girl passed out in a crater in the middle of the woods at the border of fire country. Not only that but she was finely dressed in a blood red yukata that was much too big for her. Had she stolen it? No, Juugo could tell that she wasn't the type to rob. He didn't know how or why, he just knew that the girl before him was good.

More and more questions popped into his head, and he had no doubt that Sasuke would find the answers soon. Speaking of the Uchiha, how had the girl known about him? Was he that popular? Juugo wouldn't put it past him. Yet the pinkette spoke so differently to him. It was a far cry from Karin's shrill voice and love struck expression that screamed desperation and longing for the dark haired male's attention. No, the green-eyed girl was the complete and utter opposite of his teammate. Her eyes sparkled with emerald fire and her tongue was sharp and witty. Although she looked young, there was a certain way that she spoke and held herself that seemed mature and confident. Oh yes, she was a mystery indeed.

One that (he had a feeling) many desired to solve.

Juugo waited as the child hesitated, her movements came to a halt. She seemed to be pondering on something. He watched as she tilted her face upwards to the dark night sky, the moonlight highlighting her childish features.

"Mitsuki." She said after a lengthy silence, her green eyes were no longer facing the sky but clashing with a vivid, familiar shade of red.

* * *

Sasuke was a patient man; he was perfectly capable of waiting. Especially if it's for the most opportune moment to strike. Like a deadly snake, his body was ready and coiled to jump into action. However, after countless weeks searching for his brother and coming up empty handed every time was starting to grate on his nerves. And just when he thought that this time he would catch Itachi at the inn Karin had located, his hopes for revenge was lost.

The youngest Uchiha had to keep his anger in check, if not, who knows what could happen. As he and Karin quickly made their way back to the campsite (well, he was on his way back while Karin was trying to convince him to stay a night in the inn with her) Needless, to say, they were a bit behind schedule thanks to a particular clingy red head.

"Oh Sasuke-kun, isn't this so romantic?" She squealed, twirling a lock of bright red hair with her finger.

"Hn.."

"Under the stars and moonlight? Just the two of us." As they sped through the trees, she moved towards him, making sure to brush her body against his suggestively ever so often.

If Sasuke was the type to let his emotions show on his face then the look he would be giving right now would be one of mild disgust. The odd sensation of her breasts against his left arm was, to put it frankly, quite gross. Yes, he was a male in his prime that lusted for women. It's just that he always put killing his older brother before that. Needless to say, there were many offers from young and beautiful women who were desperate to spend a night with him. However, he never paid them any attention. The most important thing he had to accomplish in his life right now was to avenge his clan and kill their murderer, his own brother.

A few minutes and rather sad attempts at flirting by Karin later, they both arrived at the campsite. Him feeling disappointed and her upset that absolutely nothing happened between them that night. As Sasuke was pushing a few branches away that covered their hideout, he stopped. Hearing a very familiar and pained voice, he froze.

"What?" With an annoyed sigh, he covered the red head's mouth with his hand. This action caused the girl to flutter her eyelashes and give him what she thought was a sexy look when in reality she looked constipated. The younger Uchiha almost gave in to the impulse of rolling his dark eyes at Karin's reaction. As if he wanted to lay a hand on her voluntarily.

"…wonderful."

He glanced around and finally saw her, the girl with the familiar pink hair and haunting green eyes.

Sasuke could sense the sarcasm in her voice and was inwardly surprised at the child's response. Wasn't she the least bit afraid of being alone with Juugo? He could snap at any moment, killing her without a single feeling of remorse or mercy. The pinkette was getting more and more interesting. In all honesty, he couldn't exactly pinpoint why he ordered his teammate to bring her. She was simply dead weight that was another mouth to feed, provided that he wanted to keep her alive. But was that what he wanted? Or was he merely curious to why a girl had been lying, injured and alone in a massive crater in the middle of the forest. Unless it was because of her most striking features, hair pink as cherry blossoms and eyes green as emeralds. Of course, his curiosity also stemmed from her greeting to him. Not only was it exceedingly rude for a child to say but also it was as if she knew him, and found him worthy of cussing over.

Sasuke had felt the sting in his pride after being insulted by a child that looked too young to even curse. Nevertheless, his interest was piqued. Despite her harsh words, he had found the fire in her eyes transfixing. Why did the Uchiha find her jade gaze so captivating and enthralling? It was because of the hardness within those green depths.

When she opened her eyes, they were innocent and pure. But once she focused on him, they hardened into viridian jewels that simply pierced him. Cold yet hot was her gaze. It was chilling yet burning at the same time. Freezing like she felt nothing but cold hate for him, hot fire as if she wanted him to burn for his sins. Her gaze was smoldering, the kind of heat that he imagined hell would feel like. And he was more than intrigued by it. No, he was fascinated by it beyond comprehension. It was odd really, how this interest had sprouted from simply looking at her.

"Little girl, I think its best if you just rest."

Juugo's calm voice sliced through his thoughts like a hot knife through soft butter.

Sasuke brought his dark eyes up to the girl who was struggling on the ground, finding her strength admirable. Foolish yet admirable. As he watched her squirm on the forest ground, he was reminded of a crying Sakura Haruno. Yes, the girl looked exactly like her but with much longer hair. Although it didn't explain why she looked like his old teammate. The youngest Uchiha had pondered and came up with nothing. There must be an explanation, he just needed to analyze the variables and look at the entire equation. Without it, how can he find an answer?

"I have a name you know, its not 'little girl'." She snarled at Juugo, her eyes flashing.

After a moment of silence, the large man spoke once more.

"What is it? Your name I mean."

At this, Sasuke paid closer attention; trying to ignore the flirtatious looks Karin was sending his way.

He observed the pinkette look up at the sky, finding her childish features quite pretty under the light of the moon. He hated to admit it but he was more than curious to know her name. Would it be Sakura? If it were then it would be even more confusing to how she had shrunk down into the size of a ten year old.

"Mitsuki."

But after she answered Juugo's question, he now knew the truth. Even if it was impossible, he just _knew_.

He narrowed his eyes, his sharingan blazing as he appeared before the girl, leaving the red head behind in the trees.

He reveled in the slight fear in those green depths that he found oddly alluring, not that he'd admit that to anyone of course.

Sasuke crouched down to her level and used his pointer finger to tilt her chin upwards. And even though he dropped his voice into a whisper, his voice could be heard throughout the entire clearing.

"You're lying, Sakura."

* * *

Two dark figures cloaked in red and black flew through the trees at incredible speeds. They didn't bother stopping for breaks or rest, it wasn't important. Not when a certain pinkette was involved.

After a while, they both stopped. The taller man dropped to the ground, where a large crater took up most of the forest floor. The dark haired man remained in the trees, finding something much more peculiar on a branch that appeared to have snapped. Red eyes snapped to the ground where a broken tree branch was lying near the crater. His eyes narrowed into slits, grabbing the pack he frowned.

It was Sakura's bag. A meow was heard and he peered into the bag, where a tiny clay kitten was whining in a pile of yukatas that he himself had bought for the medic-nin. There was no doubt that the clay creation was Deidara's work. The red eyed man growled menacingly at the fact that the blonde had given a gift to his blossom without his knowledge. But before he could think of more ways on how to torture the bomber, his partner appeared next to him. Looking very disturbed and worried, much like himself but of course he wouldn't show it, he was an Uchiha after all.

Kisame held up a something in between his forefinger and thumb, a long and pink strand of hair.

No words needed to be exchanged, they knew their mission. All they needed to do was accomplish it, for her.

* * *

Hope you liked it! SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY! I was busy with some stuff but I'm back! Lots of love and thanks for those who reviewed last time. I absolutely love hearing from all of you. Almost 350 reviews! If only I can reach 400…ohhhhh a girl can dream right? Anyways, till' next time!


	25. R e d - a n d - B l a c k

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

Sakura could feel her heart racing and her breathing quicken. The eyes that were so close to her own were two vivid pools of red, regarding her with dark intent. She wanted to tear her gaze away from his but she was frozen. And when Sasuke accused her of lying, she almost died on the spot. No, she wasn't afraid of him exactly. But she was immensely disappointed when her fake identity had been found out almost immediately.

Although, a part of the pinkette wasn't really surprised that Sasuke had found out her real name. He wasn't an idiot, far from it actually. It would have been a miracle if she had gotten away with it. But of course, a girl could hope right?

Since Sakura found no way out of the situation, especially with a smug Uchiha crouching next to her, she decided to wing it. Seeing that she couldn't lie her way out of this one, might as well go along with the truth, but maybe not all of it. Sasuke would be absolutely ecstatic to hear that she had been in close contact with his older brother. Who really wasn't that bad. Possibly dark and twisted, and actually very horny. The medic-nin did escape thanks to his lust for her. Nevertheless, now was not the time to think about certain, passionate older Uchiha's. Maybe later…. no….better not.

"Wonderful work Sasuke, finding out my real name. Thank Kami for that genius brain of yours." Her voice dripped with acid and sarcasm, a toxic combination.

Even though she was noticeably shorter than him, Sakura looked straight into his eyes. Her brilliant green gaze was unflinching and strong, quite different from the old Sakura he had once known. There was no red cheeks or flirty attitude, something he was fairly thankful for.

Sasuke stared back into those endless jade depths. He could see the pain he'd caused her, the rejection and hurt. A large part of him reveled in the fact that he was no longer weak because he had successfully cut ties with his past. And not only that, he managed to inflict pain on others as well. Yet there was this miniscule part of him that mourned for the loss of his teammate, the loss of her innocence and happy self. Yes, Sasuke could still see hints of the little happy girl he once knew. But there was this hard glint in those eyes, and the odd thing was…. He liked it.

"Oh, it wasn't that hard."

"No shit." She cursed while he smirked (very, very slightly).

"Now now, good little girls shouldn't use such coarse language." He murmured, tilting his head to the side.

There it was again, her eyes would harden to the point of looking like green little jewels.

"Who said I was a good little girl Sasuke?"

Oh, how he was coming to like that look. It basically screamed at him to simply burn in hell. As if Sakura Haruno no longer cared for him, but he knew better.

"Aren't you?"

"Not anymore." The pinkette glared at him openly, not understanding how he looked so amused.

"Of course not." The dark haired man said it in a way that sounded like he was humoring her.

"I'm not! I'm stronger than before Sasuke, you just don't see it."

He watched as her mouth thinned into a grim line, her eyes spitting emerald fire.

"I see nothing before me but a pathetic child who is just as weak as the day I saw her."

"I…am…not…a….child." Sakura said slowly and clearly, poking him on the forehead with each word. Sure, it was rather stupid to push his buttons like this. But despite that, it was too tempting to resist. Besides, she'd already called him an asshole.

Blood red eyes flashed.

"Could have fooled me." He muttered darkly, gesturing to her tiny form.

"It's not like I meant for this to happen." Sakura grumbled and stepped away from the youngest Uchiha.

"Hn…."

It was silent for a while, and then the most irritating sound pierced the cold night air.

"Sasuke-kuuuuuuuuuun!"

Juugo flinched at the annoying shriek and Sakura could have sworn seeing her old teammate wince just a bit.

"Suigetsu is being an idiot again." Karin squealed, running next to Sasuke and latching onto his right arm.

"Takes one to know one bitch!" The white haired male stepped out of the trees and joined everyone else in the campsite. A cocky grin was plastered on his face and sacks of most probably food were hanging over his shoulder.

"I am not a bitch!" The red head stomped her foot on the ground, much like a child throwing a tantrum.

At this, Suigetsu laughed heartily as he threw down the sacks near the small campfire.

"Got something to say you moron?!" Karin dug her nails into the Uchiha's arm as she glared at swordsman.

"Oh lots, but you know what they say. If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. And you, bitch, are far from nice." He shrugged casually and smirked, sitting down near the flames, he started sharpening his large sword.

"Why you…." Her voice was irritated and a red eyebrow twitched.

"Yes, me?" Suigetsu batted his eyelashes at Karin, his voice high-pitched and somewhat similar to his teammate whenever she fawned stupidly over Sasuke. Sakura was actually disgusted by the fact she used to be quite proud of being one of his fangirls, it was downright sad.

Karin looked more than pissed, but it was obvious that Suigetsu was much better at bantering and giving witty comebacks. So she turned to Sasuke with what she thought was a sexy expression when in reality, she looked comical.

"Sasuke-kun! Tell that idiot to shut up so that we can have some private time together." She winked at him suggestively and Suigetsu rolled his eyes. Even Juugo appeared exasperated with her constant flirting.

Sakura scoffed and rolled her green eyes just like a certain white haired male.

The red head heard and looked down her nose at the pinkette, not liking the girl instantly.

"Got something to say pinky?"

Sasuke, Juugo and Suigetsu just stood and watched as Karin lashed out at the girl. The three of them could feel the tension in between the two females and no one wanted to get caught in the middle of it.

The Uchiha observed his old teammate, finding her expressive green eyes more than intriguing. They would just flare up; it was an interesting sight to say the least.

"Pinky? Well that's creative." She remarked, pulling on a lock of bright pink hair.

"I know right?"

The medic-nin actually face-palmed.

She gave a look to Sasuke that said ' Really? You gave team seven up for this? '

Naturally, he remained stoic and emotionless as ever.

"As fun as this is….."

Sakura turned abruptly and started walking away very slowly due to her wounds.

"…..I'll be taking my leave now."

After taking a few steps, her tiny body bumped into something hard.

A wall maybe?

…..

No, fate wasn't as kind.

Instead of a wall, Sasuke Uchiha stood there. Looking dark and cryptic as always. Honestly? Didn't the man have any other expressions?

The look he gave her said ' Where do you think you're going?'

She glared daggers at him, giving him a scowl.

"Away from you, as charming as your presence is…. I'd rather face the wilderness."

"Aren't you going to beg for my return to that pitiful excuse of a village of yours?" Sasuke questioned, bending down to her level.

She hesitated for a bit, seriously thinking it over. Wouldn't Naruto want this? Wouldn't the entire village wish for his return? Would I? As thoughts raced through her head, she pondered. After a while contemplating her answer, she finally chose.

"Why bother?"

His expression didn't change (No surprise) but she could tell that he was shocked by her cold and harsh reply.

"I know that you'll stop at nothing to kill your brother, the only family you have left. So, go ahead. I honestly don't care about your silly ambition of wasting your power and life on chasing a revenge that will never be yours." Sakura declared. Although her voice was that of a child's, it was still strong and unwavering. A far cry from the girl she used to be in Sasuke's opinion.

The Uchiha leaned in, the curtain of his black hair shielding her face from the silver light of the moon. It was longer than before, but the back of his hair still stood straight.

All she could see right now was red, like blood. There was also a haunting black color that blended with the red nicely. Sakura had to be careful, if he wanted to, he could kill her easily.

"That murderer is not my brother, he is a killer."

His voice was soft and smooth, much like velvet.

"Like you're any different?" The girl countered viciously. No, she didn't know why she was defending Itachi Uchiha of all people. However, she was. Did it mean something? Why was she so protective of him? Even as Sakura as herself, she already knew the answers to all of these questions. Despite his ragged past, Itachi had been civil towards her. More than civil actually, he was nice to her. Although there was no way of telling that he was faking it, still….Why would he save her from dozens of exploding tags if he were pretending?

No one truly evil would spare her life like that, and to say that she was worth the risk? Sakura Haruno knew in her heart that there was no way that Itachi was a murderer. Of course he'd killed she had too. But…there she just had this feeling that there was more to him and his clan's deaths than meets the eye.

"All shinobi kill, it's our way of life." He stated emotionlessly, red eyes piercing her very soul. Never before had Sakura seen the Sharingan so close, it was strangely beautiful and frightening at the same time.

She leaned away and turned once more, deciding to go the other direction. The pinkette didn't care if she was lost and might be very far from her village and would have a hard time finding it. As long as she got away from Sasuke and his killing intent for the man that saved her.

"Fine, while you go on with slaughtering other's lives….I promise you…..I'm going to be busy saving them." Her voice was solemn and her stance determined and spirited, despite her discomfort thanks to her injuries.

But before she could take another step away from the dark and twisted man behind her, an arctic voice whispered softly, intimately into her ear.

"Not before I kill you first."

And with that, and a hit towards her neck, all she saw was black.

* * *

"Where the hell is she?!" Kisame yelled and punched a nearby tree, denting the bark and leaving a nasty mark on the surface.

"….Hn…."

"We've searched everywhere! And I can't sense her chakra at all. It's like she's disappeared from the face of the earth or something." He grumbled the last part, a frown marring his blue features.

"….Hn..."

"We're already late, leader is going to kill us for not reporting back to base two days ago."

"…..Hn..."

Suddenly, a large sword wrapped in bandages crashed into the wood an inch away from Itachi's head.

He raised an eyebrow at the sight of his partner's weapon lodged into the tree quite deeply, almost reaching the hilt.

"How can you be so calm about this Uchiha?" He asked the man who appeared cool and collected, leaning on the tree which now had a sword jutting from it's trunk.

When he didn't reply, Kisame twisted his blade, drawing the side closer to the Uchiha's skull.

"Well?"

"Acting childishly would get us nowhere."

"C-childishly?" The larger man asked, his voice disbelieving.

"It's best to remain level-headed. This way, we can think more clearly and efficiently." Itachi stated as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Kisame rolled his eyes and extracted his sword from the bark with a scowl.

"Well sorry for not acting like an emotionless freak. I'm worried about angel okay? So excuse me for showing that I actually care if she'd still alive."

The Uchiha regarded his partner before nodding, straightening his spine and leaned away from the tree.

"I agree."

"What?"

"Angel…is a suitable name for my blossom." The dark haired male said, observing the twist in the mist-nin's features.

At first, there was a faint satisfaction after hearing that Itachi actually agreed on something with him. But it soon turned into distaste once he had claimed that Sakura was his.

"We better go…before Leader realizes that we're running behind schedule."

"…He already has." Itachi held up his ring, which was glowing. It was a sure sign that Pein wanted to speak with both of them immediately.

"We're so screwed." Kisame stated, shaking his head.

* * *

Hope you liked it! I was actually going to update on Sunday but since it's KyuubiHost's birthday this Saturday, I decided to make an exception. And if you're reading this….HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Anyways, lots of love an thanks to those who reviewed last time. Can you believe that this story has gotten over 360 reviews?! Ihonestly didn't think I could get such a positive response from everyone. And it makes me very glad that you guys take the time to read and review. It seriously means a lot to me. And by the way, hope you like this update KyuubiHost! Think of it as my b-day gift to ya. Till' next time! – VZ


	26. C o n f e s s i o n s

I don't own Naruto, and please read the AN on the bottom of the page! – VZ

* * *

The underground basement of Akatsuki was eerily quiet, not a single soul stirred. The only movement and sound was coming from the office of Pein, the leader of the criminal organization. And in that dark, newly renovated room (thanks to a certain pinkette) were eight of that organization's members. The next two appeared soon after everyone else had settled down. The images of Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki flickered into existence and faced the pierced man who was sitting comfortably in a large chair. His blue haired partner stood next to him, her face impassive yet calculating at the same time.

"You know why I have summoned the both you." Pein's voice was calm and cool, much like his ringed gaze.

Itachi's eyes narrowed ever so slightly and his partner's mouth was set into a grim line.

"The target?" He questioned.

"Eliminated."

The Uchiha was suddenly reminded of the man they were meant to kill; they did accomplish their task of course. Although, both men had taken out their frustrations on the poor man. And when they were not able to locate a certain pinkette, they knew that they had to finish their mission at some point. If not, leader would get rather impatient.

In all honesty, he wished to finish this meeting so that he can go back to finding his blossom. This was a waste of time and he wanted nothing more than to continue searching for the girl that made him...feel. Itachi Uchiha would never admit it out loud but the child he had first met a few weeks ago meant something to him. In the beginning he found that she resembled a weed that grew on his side. Slightly annoying and can be eradicated very easily. Simply put, She was weak and beneath him.

However, when he first sat down and spoke with her. He was instantly reminded of his little brother, who was always on his trail, demanding his death as a compensation for their entire clan's demise. So the little pest and her similarity to Sasuke intrigued him. But in the end, he realized she was brighter, kinder and much more selfless than his foolish younger brother. And what amazed Itachi was her innocence. How it remained untainted even after all the deaths and men she'd killed.

Yes, she was a kunoichi who kills on demand. But her mercy and pure compassion made the blood on her hands meaningless. And after He'd seen the brilliant, compassionate fire within her green eyes, something stirred within him. It was no longer mere curiosity but something more, something deeper. And when she turned back into her real form, a true woman. The Uchiha would finally, grudgingly admit that he was wrong. No longer was she pesky undergrowth, but a flower. She had blossomed into a rose, complete with thorns that had the power to draw blood when threatened and that beautiful vivid red he so desperately admired.

"The mission?"

"Accomplished."

The main point of their task was to kill a man who had been abusing his power and creating some trouble for the majority of the villages near their underground base. And as of this moment, their target was busy rotting in the ground somewhere hidden in the deepest parts of the forest.

"The child?"

This time, the dark haired man had no answer for Pein, who looked as if he expected this.

"I see…."

Deidara's voice immediately penetrated the silence of the room; his tone was soft yet charged with energy. As if he himself were a bomb ready to go off at any moment.

"Where is she?" He faced Kisame and Itachi, who both appeared sober; something he found was definitely not a good sign.

It was silent but that was answer enough for the blonde.

"The hell?! The two of you were assigned to-"

Hidan's rant was cut off by leader's stern but soft voice.

"To kill a target who's been an annoyance to me for some time now. They are not babysitters. It's an unfortunate loss but the child is nothing to Akatsuki."

It was quiet and Pein took the liberty to fill the silence with his words, which were harsh and cold but true.

"She holds no information that threatens our mission. Actually, she might not even be suitable bait for the Kyuubi container, considering that the boy hasn't tried to find her yet."

"Then why?" Sasori questioned, his hazel eyes intense.

"Yeah, why keep her here in the first place?" The resident bomber added, quite curious to why leader had kept the girl hidden from the world in their base at the very beginning. Deidara wished, in the darkest and deepest part of his heart that Sakura had never come here in the first place. That way, he wouldn't feel the immense loss chewing him from the inside. It's like a gaping hole had been punched into his heart, this time, there was no pink haired medic-nin to heal it.

"Payment, for ruining my office."

Akatsuki's leader responded with a malicious glint in his grey eyes.

"Leader….I wish to search for the girl."

Leader faced him and stared for a while, then he spoke.

"Why's that Itachi? Have you grown attached to the girl?"

"Hn…"

Ringed eyes demanded and answer and so did everyone else in the vicinity.

"She is mine….I prefer to have my belongings within my reach." The dark haired man replied, his red eyes daring Pein to refuse his request and order him to leave the girl. Something that he had no plans of doing.

"Three days. I will summon you once more in seventy-two hours. If you do not have the child, then leave her be. Although, if you do succeed…. then by all means, bring her home." Leader tilted his head and gripped the arm of his chair. He was not accustomed to taking 'requests' from his followers, but he was intrigued. The Uchiha must be really desperate, and it seems the majority of his supporters were as well. Was she this important to them? An amusement? A lover perhaps? Itachi made that quite clear….only time will tell he supposed.

Many of the Akatsuki members found satisfaction in hearing 'home' as if she actually belonged here. But the majority of them were quite displeased by the claim Itachi had made on the pinkette.

During the entire meeting, Konan had stood on the sidelines quietly. Watching the members with a keen and calculating eye. It was fairly surprising when many of them seemed almost worried for the missing girl. She and Pein had been off on private missions concerning the several, smaller criminal organizations that proclaimed themselves better than Akatsuki. Needless to say, her partner wasn't pleased. He even insisted on accompanying her to the enemy bases and…. speaking with the so-called leaders. In the end, they left a bloody trail of limbs and bodies.

After a moment, the mist-nin and his partner nodded, their images flickered and soon faded into nothing. Konan pondered on the missing pinkette and the effects her stay and absence has had on their organization.

* * *

"Give it."

"No."

"Give…it."

"No."

"GIVE IT!"

Suigetsu's laughter rung throughout the entire clearing, tears were threatening to fall from is eyes. While the white haired man was busy laughing his ass off, Sakura was rolling her eyes.

"I said it once before girlie, and I'll say it again…..No."

The pinkette threw up her hands in the air in complete and utter exasperation, her green eyes looking up at the heavens, as if asking 'Why Kami?'

"Aw, are you pouting? That's so cute, are you sure you're not a really a kid?" He asked, balancing the shiny red apple on the top of his head. Sakura narrowed her eyes at the fruit, wanting nothing more than to chomp on it until absolutely nothing was left. Yes, she was that hungry. Why was she currently starving? Well, it's all thanks to a certain annoying Uchiha, the younger one. He wouldn't let her have a bite to eat, not willing to let her chakra reserves replenish.

She tried lying once again that her chakra had shrunk down, much like her body. Naturally, he wouldn't believe a word she said. The medic-nin was beginning to wonder if he was simply that good in sniffing out a lie or that she was awful at fibbing.

"Trust me, I am not a child."

"You look like one though."

"Really? I didn't notice! " She said in a mock surprised voice eliciting yet another chuckle from the man towering over her.

"I just want one bite, that's all."

Suigestu shook his head, delighting in her constant begging. It was free entertainment after all. Besides, he rather liked the cute girl. Not only was she witty and nice but fiery as well. She was like the little sister he never had.  
"Fine, be a heartless bastard like him." She crossed her arms and looked away, trying to forget the loud grumbling noises her stomach was making.

"What? Juugo is a nice guy, when he's not going crazy and trying to kill everyone in sight."

A pink eyebrow twitched at Suigetsu's reply, it was obvious that he loved getting on her nerves just to see her riled up. In a way, he reminded her of a nicer, not so vulgar, shorter version of Hidan.

Sakura shook her head viciously, sending pink locks flying everywhere. No, that part of her life was over. She shouldn't be thinking about Akatsuki and their members, much less the perverted one. Although, a part of her preferred being under the watchful gaze of Itachi and Kisame, the warm company of Deidara, even the odd and slightly perverted relationship she had with Hidan, than being near Sasuke. It was positively awful, waking up after a brutal hit to her neck (courtesy of the youngest Uchiha).

At first, Sakura didn't want to wake up. She'd rather enjoy the blissful ignorance that was her sleep. Unfortunately, she wasn't that lucky. Instead, Sasuke was there. Everywhere she went and every time she moved. It was creepy to say the least, however there is absolutely nothing she could do about it. Escape was pointless with him guarding her like a loyal watchdog. What the pinkette didn't understand was why? Why keep her here?

"You know who I'm talking about Suigetsu, don't play dumb."

"Yeah, I know. But I'm curious, what's the guy done...for you to hate him so much?" He asked, an amused glint in his oddly colored eyes.

"…If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all." She muttered, copying his words from the night before.

"Nothing? Absolutely nothing nice to say about him? Not even his good looks?" Suigetsu poked her cheek with each question, very eager to hear an answer.

"He is not good looking."

He scoffed at the girl and sat down, Indian style. Once he made himself comfortable on the grassy plane, he pulled the pinkette and dropped her in between his legs. She yelped and scrambled around his legs until he calmed her down with a hand on her pink head.

"Chill Sa-ku-ra. I'm just bored, be useful and entertain me a bit."

Another wave of nostalgia hit her right then, reminding her of a certain person who teased and played with her name like that.

And so, the medic-nin sat there and stayed still as Suigetsu played with her long, silky locks of hair.

It was silent as he tugged busied himself with her bubblegum colored hair, amazed by the softness of the strands.

"You were saying something about our leader?" He questioned, twisting several strands of pink hair around his finger.

"I was saying that he isn't-"

"Try telling the truth now." He drawled.

"You think I'm lying?" Sakura tried to face him but his hand swatted her cheek, commanding her to face forward.

"It's not that, I think that Sasuke is too much of a girl magnet to be ugly. I'm guessing, that you used to like him. But he didn't return your affections, so now you're just bitter."

The medic-nin was silent and had no idea how to react. Was she really just sour about his rejection? Well…yes but he also betrayed our village. However, wasn't she ready to help him? Offering her love and life to him near that bench on that fateful day?

"Am I right?"

Sakura then realized that her anger did not stem from his rejection. Even after that, Sakura wanted him back in the village. It didn't matter if he was there just as her friend or as her lover. As long as he returned so that team seven would be together again. That would be enough for her, for Naruto. But no, what made her so hurt was his rejection to her, but team seven and their village in general.

"I am aren't I ?"Suigetsu ruffled her hair, a smirk on his lips.

She looked up, not surprised to see him standing a few meters away. Although, Sakura knew if he couldn't hear her (which is doubtful) he could read her lips. The pinkette looked him straight in the eye, wanting him to read every word. To feel the pain he'd caused her and everyone who loved him.

"No, I feel nothing for that pathetic excuse of a man. Sasuke Uchiha is dead to me."

The words were unbearably harsh and cold, her green eyes sparking emerald fire. A tear slipped past her defenses and trailed down her cheek, landing on the grass.

As soon as she finished her sentence, he appeared and used one hand to grab the back of her shirt. Lifting her up and away from the white haired man sitting on the grass.

"Oi Sasuke-"

"Suigetsu, help Karin pack the supplies."

His voice was arctic and demanding, in contrast to Suigetsu's cocky and indifferent tone.

"Eh?! I don't wanna go near that bitch."

"Leave us."

This time, the Uchiha's voice left no room for arguments.

Once he left and Sakura was left alone with the cold and twisted man, he dropped her onto the ground.

Sakura didn't bother moving, it was pointless to run. He would catch her as soon as she lifted a finger, even she knew that.

"Enough."

The medic-nin rolled her green eyes and narrowed them at the stoic man before her.

"Speak in complete sentences Sasuke, or are you incapable of proper speech?"

**You're pushing it girl.** Inner warned, appearing out of nowhere.

_I know._

And she loved every second of it. There was this strange appeal to insulting the man she used to devote herself to. The odd and tempting allure to challenge this twisted and vile being.

**Do you want us to die before we get laid?**

Sakura wondered when her inner got so perverted.

**Oh please, like you weren't wondering the same thing.**

_…_

**See?**

_….whatever._

The dark haired man interrupted her thoughts with his voice, which was smooth and unaffected. That fact made her even angrier than before. Won't this man show any human emotion other than dull and boring?! Her patience was running thin at this point.

"Weak and helpless, that's what you are and ever will be."

She snapped like a twig under too much pressure.

"That's what you think Sasuke! And I do not care about you or your opinion of me. You and your thoughts could just burn in the hottest pits of hell for all I care." Sakura snarled at him, her eyes smoldering with heat so intense it could've fried him.

It was silent after her declaration, and then he spoke.

"Prove it."

Sasuke stared her down and his eyes were vivid red instead of the usual inky black.

"Fight me Sakura, show me how strong you've gotten." His gaze was basically daring her to agree but also challenging her to refuse. However, if she did that, then she would be validating his previous words. That she was weak and just as useless as before.

_No...I am not weak._

"I won't heal your bloody corpse Sasuke." The pinkette ground out, glaring at the stoic man.

"Tch...you won't even be able to scratch me." He countered, not at all deterred by her threat. If anything, he looked rather amused.

Sakura didn't even bother to answer, she believed actions spoke louder than words. And she planned to hurt him for everything he's done to her and everyone else, something that seemed highly impossible but she didn't care. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins and only one thought registered in her mind - Kick his ass.

"Watch me Sasuke, I'm going to leave more than a scratch on that pretty little face of yours."

In the distance she could hear a 'I knew you thought he was good looking!', but her green eyes were focused on Sasuke Uchiha and taking him down.

* * *

AN : Thanks for reading everyone :) Firstly, i'd like to give lots of love and thanks to my reviewers. Especially those who take the time to type me insanely long reviews :) But I also appreciate asdf's review, i mean...I LOVE hearing your wonderful ideas but please don't get too disappointed whenever i don't write what you want.

However, I am grateful for your ideas and thoughts. It helps me whenever I'm having a writer's block or something like that. Anyways, i hope this chappie is good for you all. Don't forget to tell me what you think ;) Read and review! make that 385 reviews into 400! hehe, not to be greedy or anything... the way, it would really mean a lot to me if you guys try to read my other story 'Rapture' I combined all the chapters so that it would be one super long chappie! Till' next time ;) - VZ


	27. C l a s h - o f - c o l o r s

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

"What's going on here?" Karin snarled, looking at the direction of the pink haired brat and her one and only true love; Sasuke Uchiha. They were busy staring at each other, at a very close distance. Should she be worried? Hm…Nah, she's a child for crying out loud. A child that obviously hated her boyfriend. Well, the girl was busy glaring her heart out and their leader was as cool and calm as ever.

"Oh, just a lover's spat." Suigetsu muttered, not really saying so for his personal amusement of Karin blowing up but because he honestly thought it was a fight between a guy and his girl.

To his surprise, she didn't screech or wail, like the crybaby that she was. Instead, the red head smirked and sniffed haughtily.

"She's a kid, or have you gone blind?"

"We both know that Sakura is more than that." He shrugged casually, noticing the pinkette speaking to their leader. Her stance was defiant and so were her brilliant green eyes.

"Oh? It's Sakura now?" She rolled her eyes and adjusted her glasses as she spoke to Suigetsu. Who chuckled and drawled in a low and suggestive voice.

"Jealous?"

"Ha!…Hardly."

It was silent after a while, but he interrupted with his annoying face and voice as usual.

"Admit it, she's stronger than you."

Karin didn't answer but she narrowed her eyes at the brat, focusing on her chakra signature and reserves.

To say she was shocked was a severe understatement, but she would never admit it of course, especially in front of Suigetsu.

The girl's chakra storages were not really that impressive, but it was above average. However, what really shocked Karin was her entire chakra system. It seemed so…unstable and volatile. The flow was fluctuating so much; it was amazing that the kid was even standing. It's just that her inner energy looked so aggravated. No, there was something else; she just had to look deeper. Her eyes concentrated more, digging deeper than ever before. Past the layers of flesh, muscle, veins, everything. A gasp almost escaped her lips, what she saw was totally abnormal.

Two.

There were two different chakras in her system. One was the pink brat's normal color but the other one was totally dissimilar. It was almost black; the hue was a murky and dark shade that polluted the girl's usual flow. Karin even more shocked when she realized what the foreign energy was doing to her chakra network. At first she assumed it was melding or fusing with the other color. But at closer glance, she finally noticed that it was eating it. Devouring whatever chakra the girl replenishes.

What the hell happened to the kid?

In all honesty she had no idea what would happen to her. One thing was clear though, foreign chakra in your system was not only unhealthy but it could do something to your energy storages. Alright, Karin had a theory. If your own energy was dominant, then it could overpower the opposing one. But if it were the other way around….then it's basically having a virus eating you up from the inside.

It was a complete wonder why the girl wasn't dead yet. How long has this been going on? Was she that strong? "What do you see?" The white haired man questioned quietly, at this point he would usually insult her looks, attitude or desperation concerning their team leader. Although, he remained silent, waiting for her response.

Normally, Karin would ignore him but for some reason she felt the need to tell someone about this odd discovery. And after seeing the brat so cozy with their leader (her future husband) she was quite glad for her recent finding.

There was a sick smile on her face and a wicked glint in her eye as she replied to her teammate.

"Her death."

* * *

The silence around them was not only deafening but full of tension as well. Sasuke was towering over her tiny body; his eyes were red pools of deadly intent. Yet, she never let her gaze falter or waver. No, she remained strong and leveled his cold stare.

But then, he suddenly disappeared from her line of vision, effectively throwing her off.

"What-" Sakura never got to finish that sentence. Out of nowhere, a fuma shuriken appeared, slicing past the air and in the direction of her head. For a moment, she panicked. However, she had to remain strong as her words. Sakura could not take them back (not that she wanted to anyway) if she said that she would kick that bastard's ass, then that's exactly what she was going to do.

The pinkette immediately went into a splitting position, effectively dodging the blade. From her stance on the ground, one leg on either side of her, she readied herself. After crouching, she pushed up her tiny body into the air and flipped into a well fortified fighting stance. Prepared for any weapon Sasuke would throw her way, but for some reason, it was silent in the clearing. The confusion faded once she realized that he was doing this not only to find the most opportune moment to strike, but to rile her up as well. Which was turning out, to be his specialty. Sakura breathed in and out, relaxing her tense muscles. If she was going to fight, she needed to be fast. The youngest Uchiha was her teammate before, she knew how fast and strong he was then, imagine how much more powerful he was now.

_No….I've improved as well._

With that thought, she fisted her hands. Commanding chakra into her little fists as she searched for her enemy. There were many trees lining the grassy plane, there was a possibility that he would be hiding there. Although, knowing him, she had a feeling that his superiority complex wouldn't allow him to hide from the mere likes of a child. No matter how much power she packed into her punches.

And so, she opened her ears as she closed her eyes. Completely relying on her sense of hearing instead of sight. Considering the fact that Sasuke was a formidable genjutsu user. It would be best to depend on her other senses instead of the one that could lead to her defeat.

For a while, all she could hear are the birds in the sky and the grass dancing with the wind. But then, she could hear it. Another familiar whizzing sound, this time it was louder. As if there were more than one…

_Oh shit._

The medic-nin twisted her body, to the side then into the air.

She then realized that it was proving very, very difficult to fight with your eyes closed.

Difficult, not impossible. Sakura smirked to herself, knowing that she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

* * *

Sasuke grit his teeth in irritation, hating the girl that he once called his teammate. He watched from his spot a few yards away from the pinkette, as she closed her eyes. Effectively dispelling the minor genjutsu he had placed her under. It was a simple shinobi trick really, just blocking yourself from your enemy's line of vision. Some would wonder why he hadn't killed her at the moment she was practically blind to his presence. He would never admit it out loud but he wanted this fight to be a lesson for her. Sasuke wanted this child to grasp the fact that she was weak. That she hadn't grown from the pathetic little girl he had left on that bench on that fateful night. Most of all, he wanted Sakura to learn her place, which was beneath him.

He was sure that she didn't know that he was standing not even a good distance away from her. But now that she had closed her eyes, he had no way of using his bloodline limit to end this fight swiftly.

Sasuke smirked.

He knew that fighting him without the use of her eyes was going to be impossible. Yes, he realized that as a kunoichi, it required reflexes and senses that would help in the battlefield. So that would explain how she had survived his onslaught of shurikens up till now. Although, he highly doubted that Sakura could keep it up. He had already sent kunais with exploding tags attached to their end towards the tiny girl, who had dodged each and every one of them without a scratch.

_Tch….not for long._

Besides, the dark haired man wanted to see the fear and vulnerability in those endless green depths. He longed to see the shock in them as he thrust his blade into her small body. The absolute terror when she perceived that moment to be her last.

He was no longer weak.

He had no ties to his past.

He had no regrets.

He was an Uchiha, and that's all that really mattered.

* * *

The pinkette would have jumped for joy if not for the battle she was participating in at the moment. She had successfully avoided all the blades he had sent her way. Nonetheless, she had to remain sharp and as lethal as Sasuke's weapons. Speaking of weapons, she currently had none. And there was no big, blue mist-nin to help her out this time. Swallowing her nostalgia, she focused on the task at hand. Which was kicking Sasuke Uchiha's ass.

* * *

Sufficed to say, he was getting very irritated. Sakura Haruno was like a cockroach to him, she just wouldn't die. And the fact that he'd thrown the majority of his jutsus at her, she'd either counter them with her own or dodge. At first the youngest Uchiha didn't think he'd have to rely on his sharingan to heavily, however he soon realized that the medic-nin was proving to be quite a formidable opponent. True, she wasn't as experienced or lethal as he was. But she had agility, skill and strength. It was a rather intimidating combination, not that he'd ever admit it.

And the fact that she was gifted at the art genjutsu, he was in for a fight alright.

Sasuke had to hand it to her, Sakura's taijutsu wasn't as horrible as he remembered. Just slightly awful. After exchanging a few more blows and dodging a kick here and there, he soon noticed the way the pinkette was fighting. Her stance was always steady, her movements were quick and her strikes were strong. Since when did the pink haired girl who resembled a lovesick puppy turn into a decent fighter? Every single motion was fluid and graceful, the epitome of a perfect kunoichi.

Sasuke's slight frown transformed into a tiny smirk.

This was going to be fun.

He was going to enjoy pummeling her tiny body into the ground.

As he unsheathed his sword, Sasuke glared at the girl who was panting with sweat beading over her girly pink brows.

Yes, she would die.

* * *

Sakura could literally feel the killing intent rolling of Sasuke in waves. Hitting her brutally and affecting her fighting just a tad bit. The cut on her arm was a testament to that. His sword had sliced through her skin like a hot knife through butter. Luckily, she had moved before he could chop the rest of her appendage off. The pinkette was proud to say that the scratch on her left arm was the worse of her injuries. She had fought tooth and nail to stay alive. Her old teammate hadn't shown the slightest bit of mercy. Not that she'd expected him to.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the thin blade headed for her chest.

But before Sasuke had the satisfaction of seeing her blood pooling on the ground, she arched her body. As soon as her hands planted on the ground, Sakura brought up her right leg, jerking it upwards and hitting Sasuke's jaw. The impact was so strong (thanks to her chakra that was concentrated in that part of her body) it caused him to actually lose balance.

Unfortunately, her happiness didn't last long because he regained his stability and was headed straight for her. His arm was outstretched with his blade's tip pointing directly at her.

Sakura instantly reacted, jumping into the air and catapulting herself at Sasuke's sword.

Okay, most would ask 'Why run at full speed towards our enemy's weapon?' Well, the pink haired medic would just roll her eyes and say 'Watch and learn'

At this moment in time, she was immensely grateful for the fact that her body was light and small. It helped her execute her not-so well thought out plan perfectly.

She had run up the length of the Uchiha's blade, her dexterity and balance helped of course.

Once she was at the hilt, she did a frontal flip in mid-air.

It was as if time had slowed and everything around her stopped. Although, Sakura didn't really notice her surroundings at this point. The only thing she was totally focused on was his eyes. How red and haunting they looked. So many emotions were evident in his deadly gaze. Anger was the most obvious, but under all that, was hurt. A part of her simply ached at the knowledge of Sasuke still in pain, from the loss of his clan and the betrayal of his brother. Sadly, she had no room for sympathy for the man before her.

The pinkette narrowed her eyes and gave a war cry as she commanded a heavy amount of chakra into her fist. Where it collided with his…..

…..hand.

* * *

Sasuke almost yelled in agony at the pain that shot up his arm from his hand. He was grateful that he had caught the girl's chakra laden fist in time before she delivered a powerful blow to not only his head but his ego. What was happening exactly? Why wasn't she dead yet? He was certainly capable enough to finish her off. Then…why was she alive?

He grunted as he tried to overpower the little girl. Who was basically using his own body for support as she pushed against his palm, not willing to give up just yet. Her other arm was on his shoulder and her feet pressed onto his upper torso.

And the most ridiculous thing about this scene was the fact that her eyes were shut tight.

Sakura was fighting with her eyes closed!

And she wasn't dead yet.

If he wasn't so surprised, he would have smiled at the girl.

Maybe she wasn't so weak after all.

Sakura whimpered at the pressure of his hand around hers.

Then again, he was never wrong before.

And with that, he spoke to her.

"Are you ready to die Sakura? Are you ready to join all those other foolish people who've crossed me in hell?"

He was no longer shocked with her harsh and artic replies. Which rivaled the heat in her gaze, green and glowing with determination.

"Yes. As long as I get to take you with me."

* * *

Yey! another chapter up! sorry if i took so long. Hehe anyways, lots of love and thanks for those who reviewed last time. :) - VZ


	28. D e m i s e

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

Juugo watched silently as his leader continued to fight with the pink haired child. He had expected the battle to finish quickly, ending with the girl's blood pooling on the ground. It would be such a waste in his opinion but then again, since when did that matter?

The light in her beautiful green eyes would slowly fade away as Sasuke would finish her off with his sword.

Imagine his surprise when he saw Sakura actually putting up a pretty good fight against their cold and ruthless leader.

Her blows were powerful and precise, her dodges were gracefully done and her determination was boundless. Though he was a good distance away, he could see her eyes and the resolve within them. It was frighteningly beautiful how such a kind soul could feel such resentment.

Juugo observed the pair as they fought skillfully, the only injuries evident on their bodies was a scratch on the girl's arm and a purplish bruise forming on the underside of Sasuke's jaw.

It must've hurt, he thought with a slight wince.

But of course, leader showed no emotion on his face when he received her well-aimed kick.

The quiet man sighed.

He was just a bystander; unable to interfere with the show laid out before him. The orange haired man regarded the girl with a hint of admiration, even though her tiny fist was captured within Sasuke's large hand, she only pushed harder.

The emerald fire in her eyes burned like the flames of hell as her opponent countered her strike.

It was as if they were dancing. He knew it sounded ridiculous but there was no other way to explain it.

Sakura would move away from leader every time he tried to strike. And each time she would try to land another hit on him, he would evade expertly. For a while there were no other sounds in the clearing, not even from the pair who were battling in the middle of the grassy plane.

He was rather glad that he wasn't Sasuke at the moment. True, the Uchiha was undeniable strong. However, it was also obvious that Sakura was powerful in her own way.

There was ferocity in her punches, tenacity in her movements and a passion blazing in her eyes.

She truly was an enigma, a mystery.

And once again, he had a strange feeling that she was a puzzle that many desired to solve.

Juugo then wondered, was Sasuke an exception?

Or would he be just as curious and intrigued by her endearing personality and fiery green eyes.

* * *

Sakura had never felt so alive before.

Of course She knew that this fight could very well be her last, but wasn't that part of the thrill?

To literally battle for your life?

It felt like every nerve, each vein, and every single muscle in her body was on fire.

It was amazing.

However, it was also terrifying.

The look in Sasuke's eyes was dark and twisted, just like the man he was.

She grit her teeth as the man before her disappeared once more. The pinkette hated to say it, he was getting faster and faster. It was disconcerting to say the least. Wasn't he tired? Just even a bit?

She herself was panting and her limbs were beginning to feel slightly heavier than before.

Just as her spirit was about to falter and her drive about to wane, she spotted the bruise she had inflicted on the youngest Uchiha earlier. It was a dark splotch of skin amidst his pale flesh. Not only did it look extremely painful, it gave her a deep sense of satisfaction. It was a testament that he can be hurt. That even Sasuke Uchiha was not invincible.

Not…..invincible.

Damn.

There it was again! That feeling of nostalgia. Although, instead of Hidan, she was thinking of a certain dark haired man who also had blood red eyes. Eyes that seemed to pierce her very soul, searching for what lay inside and finding that he not only liked it, but also respected it. It was highly flattering and it gave a shiver of excitement that trailed down her spine. Oh this was pathetic. Just thinking about him sent tingles and shivers through her body.

For a brief moment, she reminisced every moment she had with Itachi Uchiha. Time slowed and Sasuke's sword froze in mid-air. He was as stoic as ever, but his red gaze promised death.

Suddenly, flashes of long dark hair and heated stares flew through her mind.

The way he entered her room so at ease, confidence evident in each of his movements. Dango sticks hanging from his lip, his obvious enjoyment for the sweets apparent in his eyes. Which were hardly red around her. Of course the sharingan was a hauntingly beautiful but his inky black eyes were like the dark sky, endless and alluring in its own way. And the fact that he let down his guard around her, broke down the wall that he used to carefully protect himself, was exceptionally gratifying. The pinkette knew that he used his bloodline technique at all times. Never giving himself a break. Never allowing himself to relax and unwind. Yet he did around her. His lack of sharingan use in her presence was evidence enough.

She sighed mentally.

Now was not the time to remember a particular s-ranked criminal.

Nevertheless, Sakura couldn't help it.

Maybe it was also because Inner was throwing some rather heated and intense images at her relentlessly.

Memories, sensations and feelings overwhelmed her at that moment. The way Itachi gazed at her with so much heat and desire that she was afraid that she would catch on fire. The second his skillful tongue (even she had to admit to that) touched the skin at her wrists and caressed her fingertips. The excitement she felt when he claimed her as his. Yes, it irritated her at first but soon, Sakura found his odd form of courtship compelling.

Inner cackled as she blushed.

And at that short time she was thinking about Itachi, his younger brother took this as his golden opportunity to strike. He could see her infuriatingly fiery green eyes glaze over. Knowing that this could be his only chance, he drew back his blade, composing himself into a strong stance. Much like a snake, Sasuke's muscles coiled as he prepared to deliver the final blow.

SHIIIIIICK

Finally.

This was the moment that he had been waiting patiently for. As her eyes widened, he leaned forward.

Twisting his weapon inside her tiny body brutally, he whispered sensually, softly into the shell of her ear.

"Have fun in hell Sakura, be sure to welcome my brother when you get there."

* * *

Pain.

Excruciating pain filled her entire being.

And it all stemmed from her abdomen, the center of her small and now dying body.

She hardly registered anything else except the mind-blowing agony, until that bastard leaned down to taunt into her ear. What made it worse was how nicely, how intimately he said it. As if they were friends, maybe even lovers. But she knew that was hardly the case.

Sasuke did it to vex her, to rattle her bones before he crushed them. To pierce her soul (quite literally in this case) before he ripped it apart.

While Sasuke slowly, leisurely unsheathed his sword from her body, his words gradually sunk in.

**Have fun in hell….**

The pinkette could feel warm liquid pooling at her feet. Fear and dread filled her right then, so did curiosity.

**…Sakura…**

She ultimately opened her eyes, revealing the brightest shade of red she'd ever seen before in her life.

**…Be sure to…**

Her legs crumpled beneath her, bringing her down to the grassy plane, which was stained with her blood.

**…Welcome…**

The girl's body lay limp on the ground, her limbs feeling powerless and her head was throbbing.

**…..My brother….**

Sakura's vision started to blur, the images were getting fuzzy now. This was proof that she was losing to much blood.

**…..When…**

Red eyes glinted maliciously at her.

**….You….**

Her eyes were drooping shut.

**….Get….**

Her heart was failing.

**….There….**

_….._

_No….._

_Not now._

_I will not die here._

_I cannot die here._

_There are too many things i have to do._

_Things i have to prove._

_People i have to..._

The young girl's eyes slid shut.

* * *

Sasuke had to admit that he felt a deep feeling of enjoyment as he sunk his sword into her small body, he kept going until his blade's hilt met with Sakura's heaving chest. Although, there was this tinge of...something. A feeling that he couldn't name. Refusing to look deeper into it, he pushed that foreign emotion away from the forefront of his mind and left it in the back. And so, he sauntered to the rest of his team. Leaving behind the girl, her blood was leaving ruby colored puddles on the ground.

He smirked at the sight.

The dark haired man continued to walk away until he felt a massive chakra spike.

But before he could question what had just occurred, Karin spoke up.

"Oh Kami, just what the hell is she?" Her voice was almost hysterical, he could also sense some anger and irritation hidden in her tone.

Confused, (An emotion he hardly felt) Sasuke turned his head, just in time to feel the surface he was standing on shake. His sharingan was blazing red as smoke, boulders and broken trees filled the entire clearing.

* * *

Karin was fucking pissed. Not only was her hair messed up, but her top was dirty as well.

The red head tried to recalled what happened before the blast.

...

...

...

Oh shit! Now she remembered!

The pink haired brat had fallen to the Uchiha's sword, bringing a bright smile to her face. Immense glee filled her entire being, well, until the huge chakra spike at least. She focused her eyes on the bleeding girl where it had emerged from.

What she saw was un-fucking-believable.

The black chakra that had been feeding on her reserves, was the reason for the spike. It unnerved her to say the least, it certainly was strange. Wasn't it supposed to be eating the brat from the inside? Like a parasite? Then why was it helping her?

She coughed on the smoke that loaded her lungs, looking around, she saw her leader still standing straight and tall. Juugo was laying somewhere in the bushes while Suigetsu was nowhere to be found. Not that she cared anyway.

Karin sighed dreamily and a smile was plastered to her face.

But before she could tell Sasuke how wonderful and amazing he was, _she_ spoke.

Her voice was clear and strong, however, there was something different it. Deeper somehow.

"Sorry to disappoint you Sasuke-kun..." The woman purred, her green eyes taunting.

"...but like I said, I'm not going to hell unless I get to take you with me."

She could only watch as Sasuke changed his stance, now facing the speaker.

"I see you've...grown."

The pinkette scoffed at his usual stoic facade, but her gaze never left his.

"Way to point out the obvious."

He shrugged, brandishing his sword, which was still covered in her blood.

Sasuke took one step forward before vanishing altogether, reappearing behind the pinkette with his blade over her neck.

"Sakura..." He brought up his other hand to keep her in place, wrapping it around her waist in a firm grip. To her credit, she didn't gasp, blush or move away. No, she was as stoic as the man behind her.

"Yes, dear Sasuke-kun?" She said sweetly, but her glare was everything but.

"It doesn't matter what you do, where you go or what you look like. I will kill you." The youngest Uchiha growled low, his hot breath fanning across her exposed neck. It was no longer shielded by her long locks of hair, now it was unprotected and vulnerable to him.

"Talkative today aren't we?" Her mocking voice reached his ears, making his red eyes flash dangerously.

The red head noted with bitter satisfaction that blood soaked Sakura's yukata, it dripped onto the grass, making red puddles on the ground. She was gleefully jumping inside at the sight of her being hurt. yet she soon realized the wound that their leader had inflicted on her earlier was gone. Through the ripped up fabric of her yukata, there was no injury. No evidence that Sasuke's blade had pierced her form. As if it was never there in the first place. Frankly, it pissed her off. Just how talented a medic was she? Wasn't she drained of chakra? But then again, there was the pesky black chakra that was helping the bitch out.

Karin hated that pink haired woman more than ever. Even she hadn't been that physically close to him, a fact that left a foul taste in her mouth. She watched distastefully, as the pair just stood there. Looking much like partners instead of enemies on the battlefield.

Sasuke pressed his forehead against her pink head, his mouth whispering words to her. He looked like a lover saying sweet nothing's into his mate's ear. And Sakura turned her head, meeting his dark and harsh gaze with her own.

This was the scene when Itachi Uchiha suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

* * *

Hope you liked it :) Yey! i finally updated. Lotsa love and thanks to my reviewers and readers. ;) - VZ


	29. L i b e r a t i o n

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

The second she was out of Sasuke's arms and in his older brother's, she felt more at ease. At that very moment, Sakura could feel a torrent of emotions wash over her. At first it was happiness, pure joy that nearly pushed her to tears. All right, it was silly to feel this way towards someone that might not feel the same but still. She would not deny that she was a very emotional person, a fact that justified her reactions to his very presence. He was here; holding her in a tight and intimate embrace that made her feel cherished. Although it seemed highly unlikely that he considers her precious, it was nice to imagine that he did, even for just a moment. Once the glee faded away, surprise settled in.

How did the oldest Uchiha find her? It must have been very difficult in light of her very low chakra signature. Since it was so weak, it might as well be non-existent. But then again, there was that huge explosion of chakra that burst inside her. Well, at least that's what it felt like. The pinkette wasn't sure what happened; however she did feel loads stronger. Not only that but her form was that of an adult's, not a child's. Naturally, she was ecstatic, yet confused and slightly worried as well. All these changes must be bad at some point right?

Choosing not to dwell on the past, she focused on the present. Where Itachi was glaring daggers at Sasuke, who happily did the same.

Already she could feel the killing intent in the air.

No, her former teammate would not be after her at the moment, he had another much more important priorities, killing his own brother for example.

The shock at finding Itachi at the clearing soon transformed into fear. Not only for him but also for that asshole of a teammate of hers. Sakura knew that they would fight to the death. The best outcome was for both to get brutally hurt, the worst was for either one to die. And as much as she wanted to see Sasuke bleeding on the ground, her damn compassionate heart just couldn't take it. She saw the hurt evident in those bottomless eyes, eyes so similar to his brother's. Of course he'd be angry and hurt after all that's happened to him. However, Sakura had a gut feeling that the loss of his family wasn't just because Itachi was struck by the need to kill. The medic-nin knew there was more to the story than just that.

Would a killer share sweets with you? Save you from exploding tags? Or simply be there for you. No, She didn't think so either.

"Sakura."

Her head turned and she faced him, after all these days and nights. A small smile grew on her face, which softened his hardened eyes.

The way he said her name was reverent, making her heart skip a beat.

"Itachi." She replied, her voice full of wonder. It was a contrast to her acidic tone with his younger brother just before.

"You came for me."

Yes, that line was horribly cliché but it just suited the moment so much that she couldn't bring herself to care.

His lips twitched as if he wanted to smile, yet he refrained himself from doing so.

"You were worth it."

She could barely hear his familiar words over the thudding of her beating heart.

"Itachi." An extremely hostile voice called out, dripping malice and animosity.

The older Uchiha didn't bother facing him; he had eyes only for the woman in his arms.

"Itachi!" Sasuke yelled once more, his patience obviously thinning.

This time, he did glance at him, but only for a brief moment, then he was back gazing at Sakura.

Who was, very flattered, however she was quite concerned for Itachi. He could get seriously injured if he stayed here.

"You better leave Itachi. We both know how much Sasuke wants to…"

How pathetic.

She couldn't even say it out loud. Just thinking about it in her head was hard, what more saying it to him? Her heart ached for him. It must be hard to confront your only family like this. But then again, didn't he deserve Sasuke's sword inside him? His blood pooling on the soil would be the compensation that his little brother wanted. However, she just _knew_. He must have had a reason for doing what he did. The pinkette just had to find out what exactly.

"I'm aware of that."

Green eyes narrowed.

"Then what are you still doing here? Run while you still have a chance."

Her suggestion must have amused him for a tiny chuckle left his lips.

"I am capable enough to teach my foolish brother a lesson that he will not forget anytime soon."

A pink eyebrow arched.

Itachi continued, his eyes smoldering and his arms around her tightened.

"He will learn not to touch what is mine."

There it was again. Him claiming her to be his property. Although she wanted to yell and scream that she as a living, breathing person and not an inanimate object or a prize to be won, the look in his eyes stopped her from doing so. The way he said 'mine' sounded so intimate and private. No, now Sakura realized that he used his claim as a sort of endearment. As if she was not only his, but also more than that.

Did She really mean that much to him?

But before she could reply to his words, a cold voice sliced through the air like a hot knife through melted butter.

"Enough."

The pair looked at Sasuke, who appeared calm and cool. Much like his usual self, the only thing that showed any real emotion was his eyes. Wow, she never he really noticed how much you could see in a person's eye. Maybe it was true. That a person's eyes are windows to their souls, to their real emotions that are hidden from the world.

Anger, rage and fury burned in those red depths. It was frightening to say the least.

"You have talked enough."

For a while it was silent then to her surprise, Itachi actually smiled. Well, almost but that was a big achievement considering his track record of frowns and stoic expressions.

And she could even see a little mischief in there as well. The way he tilted his lips was even a bit impish.

If Sakura wasn't so shocked with the day's events, she might have pointed it out and laughed her heart out. Unfortunately, now was not the time for that.

"For once, I agree with you little brother."

He faced her, a tender look in his eyes.

"Words cannot convey the true emotion I feel right now. Perhaps actions will be of better use."

And with that, Itachi Uchiha swooped down and kissed Sakura full on the mouth.

Her mind blanked out. All thoughts and words were effectively silenced as soon as his lips touched hers. Assuming his kisses would be harsh and rough didn't prepare her for his gentle touch. The medic-nin imagined him to be hungry and hot, much like his intense gaze. How wrong she was.

It was short and sweet. His lips giving hers the lightest of touches, making her crave for something more. Too soon it was over and she saw the satisfied expression on his usually stoic face and heard the choke that left Sasuke's lips. Well, he wasn't the only one surprised that's for sure. She thought, her eyes still slightly glazed from the kiss he'd planted on her.

Sakura looked up to see the stunned look on her former teammates' face. But it transformed into one of disdain and disgust after a few seconds.

"I see now. She's your whore, isn't she?"

His words stabbed her. Yes, she said that she didn't care about his opinion of her but it still stung.

Itachi's eyes hardened.

"I'm surprised you'd bed her. So much for standards."

The hurtful words formed a knife inside her, twisting, making the pain so much worse.

"Do not speak of things that you obviously don't understand Sasuke."

The older Uchiha warned, his voice taking a dangerous edge.

It seemed like he didn't care because he pushed harder, plunging the blade inside her deeper than ever before.

"Congratulations, you've landed yourself a pink haired bitch that is worth nothing more than the dirt under my shoe-"

He never got to finish, for his own brother delivered a blow to his mouth.

"Never. Never speak of Sakura that way again."

The pinkette watched as Itachi took out a kunai and placed it right under Sasuke's jaw. Where another purple bruise was forming.

"You do that, and I will send you to hell with the rest of our family."

He looked like he wanted to hurt Itachi for saying such things about their honorable family when he cut him off with a dangerous glare.

"Foolish boy. Attempting to avenge a group of people who does not deserve your effort."

"What do you mean?" He ground out. The blade was digging deeper into his pale skin, making a thin ribbon of blood flow from his neck.

"Get stronger boy. One day we will meet again and only one will come out of that battle alive." And with those haunting words that left her chest throbbing painfully, he disappeared, materializing behind her a second later.

"Why wait? Let's fight. Here and now." Sasuke demanded, wiping off the red flowing from the small wound.

"Tch…I have much more important matters to attend to."

It was like he didn't even hear Itachi, because he grabbed his bloody sword.

"Sasuke-"

He charged, his eyes glinting maliciously.

However, his sword never hit its target.

A large blue man with an equally large sword was blocking its way.

"What have we got here?"

Sakura could have cried at hearing the mist-nin's voice. For some reason it seemed so familiar and comforting, it made her smile.

"A squirt with a knife trying to hurt our angel? This ain't good. Not good at all."

He shook his head in mock disappointment before turning his head and winking at the pinkette.

Sasuke immediately backed away and re-appeared a few yards away from us, looking very angry.

"What will you do now little brother? You cannot hope to defeat the both of us."

He scanned the three of us, wondering if he really could take us all on. Well, even if Sakura was slightly battered. She was still strong and exceptionally determined to keep both of the Akatsuki members safe, by any means necessary. Once again, she wasn't going to question why she was bothering to help them. They did capture her once, or twice. Nevertheless, they came back for her. And staying with them is much more preferable than Sasuke's wonderful presence. (Insert sarcasm here)

"I am not alone." He replied, looking for his teammates.

"Oh, you lookin' for this guy?"

It hard to believe that Sakura didn't notice the white haired man hanging limply from Kisame's shoulder, like a sack of potatoes. It didn't take long for her to realize that it was Suigetsu, looking bloody and broken.

"He didn't deserve this sword."

The large nin remarked, throwing away Suigetsu's body.

She watched as it rolled to the side, his arm hanging at an awkward angle.

Almost immediately, she ran to his prone form.

But Sasuke's voice stopped her form taking another step.

"Don't. Karin will heal him."

Just as he finished his short but angry statement, a familiar red head appeared, in a red and black cloak that billowed in the wind.

"This girl is whiny and quite ugly. There is no beauty I can preserve." He drawled while his fingers were making movements. Suddenly, a puppet appeared, with a bruised but breathing girl with bright red hair. The same color as the blood dripping from her lips.

"S-s-sasuke-kun, save me." Karin groaned pathetically.

"And you claim that I have no standards." Itachi regarded the girl who whimpered for her 'dear Sasuke-kun.'

The youngest Uchiha growled, scanning the clearing for the last person he could rely on. It was embarrassing to say so (not that he would) but he needed help.

"Looking for someone?" An exuberant voice called out.

Green eyes looked upwards and saw a giant clay bird, white like the clouds above her.

She couldn't help the smile forming on her face as Deidara appeared and screamed out 'Art is a bang!'

As soon as he said it, a large form fell from the sky.

Assuming it was a bomb she turned and attempted to run.

To her surprise (again) Sakura ran into a wall.

"Miss me bitch?"

A cursing wall?

She glanced up and saw the cocky smile of a silver haired nin. His purple eyes gleamed at her.

"Hidan."

"Who else were you fucking expecting?"

"Actually I wasn't expecting anybody at all." She admitted.

It was silent for a while and then a heavy thud alerted everyone of the object Deidara had dropped onto the ground. Sakura's eyes widened at the sight. It wasn't a thing, It was a person. A person with bright orange hair.

Sasuke cursed but refused to admit defeat. So his brother did it for him.

"You have lost this round foolish brother."

Hidan took this as their signal to leave for her lifted the pinkette into his arms, then over his shoulder. Just like how Kisame was carrying Suigetsu earlier.

"Hey! Put me down Hidan, I _can_ walk."

"But you're injured, look you're fucking bleeding!" He gestured to the bloody yukata She wore.

"I'm healed now." She said stubbornly.

"I wouldn't be a real gentleman if I let a hot bitch like you walk." He proceeded to follow the others into the woods and away from the clearing. The pair were so involved in their conversation that they didn't notice everyone else were listening in on the conversation. Itachi was busy frowning at Hidan, upset that he had grabbed the pinkette before he did.

"Gentleman? You? Ha! Like that would actually happen." She chuckled at the thought.

Purple eyes rolled at she continued to giggle to herself.

"Tch…whatever, at least I have one hell of a view over here." Hidan slapped her rear, not too hard but it was definitely not soft.

Sakura yelped and threatened to castrate him if he dared to do it again. Which he did, much to the other's irritation.

The journey to a nearby inn was uneventful, although, the kunais thrown at him for the next few hours, courtesy of his fellow Akatsuki members were very annoying.

* * *

**PLEASE READ! **

Hope you liked it! Sorry it took so long to update :( anyways, i know that lots of you wanted to see itachi kick Sasu-gay's ass ( i was too ) but it's still next time. I really want the plot to build first. And i felt like Itachi's the type to stake his claim on Sakura and walk away like the badass he is. But trust me, there will be another confrontation. You guys just have to be patient. Anyways, lots of love and thanks for those who reviewed last time. Hearing you thoughts and praise truly mean a lot to me. Till' next time! - VZ


	30. S e r e n d i p i t y

I don't own Naruto – VZ

* * *

The last thing Sakura expected to feel was something wet and small on her cheek. She opened her eyes groggily, revealing a stunning shade of jade. She scanned her surroundings, trying to get her bearings. What she found was a plain room with two doors. Her first assumption was that one was for the exit and the other was for the bathroom. Speaking of bathrooms, she couldn't wait to get clean. Just thinking about a shower with water running down her body, cleansing her of all the dirt, blood and pain she'd gone through recently was simply a marvelous idea. Yes, she remembered everything that happened with her former teammate with absolute clarity. The way his haunting red eyes pierced her very soul. The way his painful words had hurt her far more than any blade could have. As much as she would deny feeling bad and inferior standing next to him, as much as she would refuse to feel anything for him…it was pointless. For the pinkette's heart simple ached for the boy she had once loved. There was so much suffering evident in those crimson depths. It hurt just recalling it.

Suddenly, a cute little whine alerted her of another presence in the bed she was currently in.

"Kumiko!" She practically screamed, grabbing the white kitten from the bedside, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.

She chuckled at the purring feline; its head was nuzzling the spot under her neck with obvious happiness.

"Miss me huh?"

The white little kitten looked up and purred louder, bringing up a tiny paw to press against her nose in the most affectionate way.

"We all did."

Her eyes widened after hearing that familiar voice that sent tingles down her spine. Which was now rigid and straight.

"Deidara-kun?"

The blonde seemed like he appeared out of thin air. His usual boyish and charming smile was in place, his brilliant blue eyes practically gleamed.

"Sakura-chan."

Oh Kami.

That voice.

It was like fine chocolate, smooth, delicious and very bad for you. Nevertheless, it was tempting as hell.

The medic-nin gulped, her teeth nibbling her lower lip in anxiety.

He broke the silence with a sigh.

"Sorry for coming in without knocking. I heard your voice and just couldn't help myself." The blonde leaning on the wall smirked, tilting his head to the side in a playful manner.

Sakura cleared her throat before speaking, afraid that if she wouldn't, she was in danger of sounding as nervous as she felt.

"It's alright."

A bright smile lit up his face, reminding her of the sun breaking free from the clouds; absolutely breathtaking.

"Besides, I was wondering where we are." She gestured to their surroundings.

"We're in a village, on our way back to Akatsuki's underground base."

At this her smile faltered and the light in her eyes dimmed. Not even the cute kitten playing on her lap could cheer her up.

They were taking her back. As a prisoner, to be their personal medic and slave to their cruel wishes. True, they didn't treat her that way at all, quite the opposite actually. However, she wanted freedom. Isn't that why she escaped in the first place? But as luck would have it, she ran into Sasuke on the way back to her village. Of course staying with the Akatsuki was much more preferable than the company of her former teammate, but still…

**Hey, didn't you miss them? **Inner mocked.

_Oh hello there._

**Don't sass me. I don't appreciate your rude tone. Anyways, as I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted- **

She mentally rolled her eyes at Inner's drama.

**-You shouldn't complain about being stuck here with these fine ass men when you missed them. **

Before she could give a hot retort, her inner self smirked wickedly.

**I'm **_**you**_** dear, without the whole shy part. I'm not afraid to say that I want and miss them. And I know for a fact…. that you feel the same. **

Sakura could only listen to the other voice in her head, the reality of what she had just said sent her reeling.

**Don't bother denying it. Besides, what you feel for them goes deeper than mere infatuation of lust. I **_**know**_**. **

Inner stopped then, disappearing and leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Did she want to be here? Was her denial and refusal a pretense so that she wouldn't look like a traitor to her village?

"You're purring. How cute."

The medic-nin looked up and saw Deidara, closer than he was before.

"W-what?" A blush coated her cheeks, making them a lovely shade of pink.

He found her stammering amusing for some reason and he chuckled at her embarrassment.

"I meant Kumiko, she's purring up a storm over there."

"Oh."

She glanced at the kitty and sure enough, she was on her back, her paws stretched up trying to touch her fingertips and her tail swishing wildly.

"But don't worry, you're cuter."

If it had been any other guy to say such a corny line to her, she would have rolled her eyes and given him the finger. However, when Deidara said it….

It was filled with confidence and conviction. And the look on his face was of adoration, it filled her stomach with butterflies.

"Thanks Deidara-kun. But you don't need to say such things."

Damn…she was acting like a timid schoolgirl. Which was the polar opposite of her real personality. Inner promptly face-palmed.

"You're right, I don't need to….I _want_ to."

How could he act so sweet and boyish one moment then all suave and hot the next? It was a total mystery to her. One that she didn't mind in the slightest.

The space between them was charged with tension that begged to be broken.

The blonde was about to take a step forward, a hand outstretched in her direction, when the door slammed open.

"Angel?!"

And just like that, the moment was broken.

The tense atmosphere vanished the second Kisame yelled and stepped into the room.

"Hey, what are you doing here blondie? Aren't you supposed to be with Sasori, lookin' for food?" He questioned, a suspicious glint in his eyes.

The bomber rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Like my danna needs help getting a few meals."

"Uh-huh…." He almost rolled his eyes at his pathetic excuse.

The mist-nin wasn't blind, he could see right through his words. And he also saw him create a clone to go out with the red head while the real Deidara came in here to check on the blossom. And the sad thing was, Sasori was so excited that she was back and safe and sound, that he didn't even notice his partner's deceit. He was busy muttering stuff under his breath. He caught the words; immortality, my doll and beautiful. The mist-nin had no doubt that he was referring to his angel.

Oh hell, what was this pink haired woman doing to them?

He shook his head and directed his attention to Sakura, who was curled up in the blankets…with a cat?

His gaze snapped back to the blonde. Back to the white thing on her lap and back to him.

Deidara made something for her? That didn't blow up for the sake of his so-called art?

…..

It was official. They were all screwed.

And if he or anybody didn't do anything to stop her from worming her way into each of their dark and twisted hearts, they would no longer be in control.

She would.

And the scary thing was, Kisame couldn't find it in himself to care.

* * *

"What's all the commotion going on out there?" Sakura asked before munching on her food like a starved dog.

"There will be a festival tomorrow night. The villagers are merely preparing for it." Sasori answered, watching her like a hawk. There was no way that he'd allow her out of his sight again. As the pinkette ate her fill, and the majority of the Akatsuki members were seated in the room, eating as well, he pondered. He contemplated why he even cared if she lived or died.

Why should he? And did he even have the capacity to feel something for another living breathing person again? After the death of his parents? In all honesty, he had shut out those emotions from his system and never allowed himself to feel anything anymore. On the surface, he claimed that it was so that he could become stronger. To bring himself closer to immortality and perfection. But then _she_ had come into his dull life. Was it even a life? If everything about you was wooden and unfeeling? All but his core?

So many questions and not enough answers.

Sasori knew, that he had severed his emotions like the countless puppet strings for his art, so that he would not get hurt again. The pain he felt on the day he discovered his family was gone was harsh. Yet the pain he felt when he couldn't find that same love in the embrace of his wooden creations was excruciating.

He glanced at the pink haired woman, the one who had defeated him with skill, grace and tenacity. The one who had sacrificed herself for a woman who he used to call his grandmother. He could even remember his utter shock when his blade had pierced her supple body. And even when she was drained of energy and leaking out blood, she still had the strength to look him in the eye and hold him there. With those fiery, endless green eyes.

She really was selfless.

Lovely.

Strong.

And his.

Or at least, she soon will be.

Sakura Haruno had so much emotion and compassion. He wondered if she could teach him how to feel again. Would she?

The red head licked his lips hungrily.

He certainly hoped so.

* * *

Sakura was so focused on filling her belly (Naruto would be proud) she failed to notice the glances and looks sent her way. Although, she did notice the majority of the Akatsuki members were crammed in the small and plain room.

Shouts and laughter filled the air.

Her green eyes immediately met with open window, where she saw lots of people with wide smiles on their faces. Even now, when the decorations were only half done, she could tell that tomorrow night would be an extravagant evening. Who would have thought a quiet little village would put so much effort into one celebration.

"Would you like to attend the festival Sakura-chan?"

Deidara had seen the way her eyes followed the people and the longing in them.

Suddenly, all eyes were on her.

She petted Kumiko, her hand sliding past its slick skin from the top of her head to the tip of her slim tail.

"Well, I wouldn't mind."

The yearning sound in her voice was unmistakable, and everybody could hear it.

It was silent before someone spoke.

"Very well. Then you may go. Provided you have an escort." Itachi said, his voice detached and his face stoic.

"R-really?"

"Hn…." That meant yes in Uchiha terms.

The smile that split on her face was breathtaking.

"I will happily take you out tomorrow night my doll." Sakura's green eyes instantly clashed with a warm hazel.

But before she could speak, Hidan had cut in.

"Hey! Who the hell assigned you to take my bitch out?"

….

Bitch?

….

The puppet master shrugged and ignored Hidan, who evidently, didn't like being disregarded.

"I'm talking to you, you piece of crap!"

…..

A pink eyebrow twitched.

He didn't even bother looking at the silver haired nin.

"I'm going to take her out tomorrow might. And no one is going to fucking stop me." He declared, putting one hand on his hip while the other was gripping his triple bladed scythe that shone red under the florescent lights.

Kisame whistled low as Deidara shook his head at Hidan's dramatics. Even Itachi raised a brow at the scene.

"Don't you dare go near or even think about going near my bi-"

She snapped.

"Don't _you _dare to finish that sentence !"

Sakura stood up and wiped the remaining rice on her lips, she faced the taller man and poked him on the chest.

"I am not your or anyone else' bitch, you got that?"

She hoped to see even a sliver of fear in those purple depths. Unfortunately, all she saw was excitement and delight.

"Oh, trust me, I got it."

Hidan purred, smirking devilishly. He used the arm that wasn't supporting his weapon to encircle her waist and press her body to his.

But she had a feeling he would try something so she had commanded a bit of chakra into her leg. She then kneed him, hitting him where all men where the most vulnerable.

"OH FUCK!" He cursed and fell to the ground, his hands clutching his family jewels like a lifeline.

Another thing Sakura didn't expect today was laughter, lots of it. Coming from the mouths of four Akatsuki members.

"Oh angel, you're just too good." He guffawed at Hidan groaning on the floor.

"Hn….good hit."

"Are ya kidding?! That was great yeah!"

Her green eyes drank in the sight of four S-ranked criminals laughing like children greedily. It was a sight not everyone got to see. And she was thankful that she did.

As much as she wanted to continue laughing with them, a groan called her attention.

The pinkette was about to smirk at Hidan's pained noises when she noticed something different.

The sounds were different somehow….lower….more guttural…and husky…..was he growling?

"More, gimme more. It feels so damn amazing."

The chuckles and snickers in the room abruptly stopped.

"No, better than amazing….it feels fucking _divine_."

"What's wrong with him?" She asked, her pink brows furrowed in confusion.

Kisame instantly intervened, a nervous smile on his face.

They all knew how innocent their blossom was and how sinful their fellow Akatsuki member truly is. And the last thing any of them wanted was to taint that innocence.

"If you want to got to the festival tomorrow, you have to- Hidan groaned once more- go shopping!"

He stepped up and blocked the view of the writhing Jashinist.

Sasori and Deidara nodded.

"I agree. Come Sakura, we shall leave while Sasori and Deidara and my partner sort of that fool over there." Itachi, smooth and slick as a snake jumped in and brought Sakura away from the other four. Shutting the door behind them with a resounding 'click'.

Just as they were leaving, she heard another groan, a loud thud and snoring.

* * *

"Kazuna-chan, don't forget to lock the door when you leave. We don't want anybody coming in and stealing these beautiful dresses!"

Kazuna rolled her big brown eyes at their boss, who was a kind old lady that had a passion for lovely things, especially kimonos. The old woman was busy prancing around and checking all the clothes for any wrinkles.

"Oh don't do that! You know that Hitomi-san is always like this, usually around this time of year." Ayame regarded her friend, helping her fold several dresses that some women tried out earlier but didn't buy in the end.

"I know Ayame-chan…It's just that this festival is silly!"

"Shh! Don't say that, do you want to lose your job?"

Once again, she rolled her eyes.

"Of course not. But think about it. A whole shindig just for looking up at the stars and being with your lover? How sappy."Kazuna finished folding the remaining kimonos and started putting away some reports that their boss had neglected to file.

"Oh Kazuna-chan, it's just so romantic! You just don't see it because you haven't been in love." Ayame twirled a black strand of hair around her finger, looking dreamily at the sky.

"Ew…add end up like you? With hearts floating around and acting like a lovesick puppy? No thanks!" She flipped her short brown hair with a huff.

"You'll see, one day, a man will make you feel and look like this."

"Oh please. There is not one man that can reach my standards."

"C'mon tell me what you want in a guy Kazuna-chan! Maybe my boyfriend can hook you up with someone." The black haired girl waggled her eyebrows while the brunette held up her hand.

"He must be tall, dark, drop-dead gorgeous, mysterious and sexy." With each description, a finger went down until her hand turned into a fist.

This time, Ayame rolled her eyes.

"Good luck finding a guy like that."

The moment she finished speaking, the door opened, revealing a pair who were looking around the store.

"Oh sweet Kami above…." Ayame sighed, fanning her blushing cheeks.

Kazuna raised an eyebrow at her red-faced friend in curiosity.

"Ayame-chan?"

"Look!"

The brunette followed her friend's gaze and her jaw literally dropped. Right there in their tiny little store of kimonos was the sexiest piece of ass she had ever seen in her entire life.

"Is…he real?"

"He's mine!"

"What about your boyfriend? The one you're just so in love with?" Kazuna smirked evilly.

"Oh…aw….you lucky bitch!"

"That's right!"

And after applying some bright red lipstick to her already red lips, she sashayed over to the dark haired man. But she was dismayed to see an incredibly beautiful woman with him. She had pink hair! Of all the colors in the rainbow! Insides she seethed. Instantly hating the girl who was blessed with bright green eyes and alabaster skin. It just wasn't fair. How she was cursed with ordinary brown eyes and equally ordinary brown hair and slightly tanned skin. Okay, so she had a few pimples and she wasn't as thin or slender as the girl on his arm, but still!

Kazuna had bigger chest at least. Oh, and lots of make-up. It's like the girl didn't even bother trying to enhance her beauty. What is she? A child? Make-up is the right of passage of women.

As she stopped right in front of the pair, she smirked; puckering her red lips in what she thought was a sexy pout.

The brunette decided that she would easily snatch this hot eye candy before the festival tomorrow night.

"What can I help you with?" She made sure to stick her hips and chest out, giving the man a flirty smile.

The raven haired man acted regal and very well mannered, even going as far as to bowing his head slightly when seeing her offer help.

Oh Kami, he was perfect!

His black eyes were positively endless, filled with mystery and darkness.

Exactly everything she wanted.

"I'm looking for a kimono actua-"

"How nice." The brunette cut the pink haired girl's sentence off, choosing to focus her attention on the male before her.

"Anyways, before we were so rudely interrupted…."

In the corner of her eye, she saw the girl's eyes widen.

That's right pinky, he's mine!

"I wish to purchase a kimono."

Oh heavens above! His voice was just as perfect as the rest of him!

"Really?" Kazuna gushed.

"Well, we are in a kimono shop." The pinkette said dryly, rolling her green eyes.

Before she could glare at her, he spoke.

"White and red. Those are the only two colors I will allow her to wear."

"Huh?..." She replied, not really listening since she was so lost in his dark eyes.

"Customers! And good looking ones too! Come in and look at our wonderful dresses!"

That…bitch.

Never before had Kazuna hated her boss so much until this very moment.

The man directed his gaze to Hitomi-san who actually blushed at the sight of him.

"Oh my….well, who is the dress for young man? Who's the lucky lady?"

A part of her desperately wanted to raise her hand.

She watched with interest as warmth flooded the man's dark orbs. He turned and brought his hand to encircle the pinkette's waist and bring her closer.

"She is the one."

The girl's cheeks didn't flood with red like she expected, instead she saw an equally warm smile on her face.

"How lovely, you my dear girl, will look stunning in my pieces. Any preferred colors?"

"Red and white. I will allow no other."

The old woman's eyes glimmered with mirth.

"Alright then, I have a few that you might like."

She then whisked the two of them away with a bright smile on her wrinkled old face.

Her heart felt like it was crushed in that very moment. She was hurt to why this godlike man had not really noticed her. Didn't he look at her for the briefest of moments when he entered the shop? Didn't he feel the magnetic pull that she did?

The harsh reality slapped her in the face, hard.

Kazuna sulked and walked back to her station next to Ayame.

"What happened?"

"He's in love."

The black haired girl gasped.

"How do you know?"

She sighed.

"The way he spoke and acted. Everything about him….was centered around her."

Ayame nodded with a look of understanding evident on her sweet face. She patted her friend's shoulder comfortingly.

"That girl is one lucky bitch."

"Yeah, she sure is."

* * *

And there we go! my 30th chapter. :) i made it longer than usual to make up for my lack of updates. Hope you liked it. And forgive me if there are any grammatical errors and whatnot. I really wanted to post it as soon as possible :) Anyways, lots of love and thanks for those who reviewed last time. I love you all! Till' next time, the festival! i promise lots of steaminess and fluff in that one. Maybe even a bit of angst. Here's a preview.

* * *

_"It was spectacular Deidara-kun! You're absolutely right...Art is a bang." Sakura smiled at him, her green eyes were clear, beautiful and bright. Filling him with a warmth that he never wanted to leave. _

_He brought his hands up and cupped her face, making sure to be gentle in every possible way. His art can be brutal, loud and explosive. However, when it came to Sakura, who might as well be the very personification of his art, it was different. He was different when he was with her. He was _better_. _

_"Forgive me Sakura-chan...but I'm going to break a promise i made to you so long ago." _

_And with that, he leaned down and..._

* * *

Wait for the next chapter to find out what happens next ;) till' next time! - VZ


	31. D a z e

I don't own Naruto, and by the way, i apologize for the lack of Deisaku in this chapter. The explanation why is at the author's note at the bottom of the page. Sorry and enjoy! - VZ

* * *

The hallway of a plain old inn was charged with energy. The tense atmosphere was so thick, not even Hidan's triple bladed scythe could slice through it. The silence stretched on until the red head chose to break it.

"Let's not waste time-"

"You're right, we should decide who will escort Sakura-chan to the festival yeah." His blonde partner interrupted him with a fierce glare.

Yes, he respected his danna and maybe even admired him at some point, even though their views on art were extremely different. Yet he could not reign in the hostility that rolled of him in waves. Deidara knew from the moment his partner had looked at his blossom that he would have something else to disagree on with his partner. That day, on the usually stoic and bored face of Sasori was a flicker of emotion. It was small and it vanished as quickly as it came; however he noticed the change in his danna's behavior. At first, he paid it no mind at all. Why should he? The possibility that Sasori could actually feel in general was such a foreign concept to him. But now…. now he had no idea what to think anymore. Not when a certain pink haired medic was involved. In addition to that, the fact that he had kissed her first. The fact that he had touched what he had claimed his…made his stomach churn and his eyes glow green with jealousy.

Inwardly, he wanted to rip out his gold hair from its very roots. Envy was eating him at his very core. Unfortunately, it was not only his danna who was bewitched by her. His blue eyes saw how all the other Akatsuki members were infatuated with Sakura-chan. No, the aura she radiated was of kindness and passion. Innocence and strength and to top it all off with her fiery green eyes. It was simply too much for hardened and corrupt criminals to resist. Her inner and outer beauty was brilliant flame and they were the desperate moths. Little things that craved what they couldn't have, that longed for what they just didn't deserve.

"Actually, I was planning to say that I will accompany her tonight." Sasori said bluntly, his hazel eyes watching everyone else critically.

His words put a halt to all of Deidara's musings instantly.

But before he could retort, Hidan was already growling at the smaller boy.

"Oh Hell no! I'll be her fucking escort to this goddamn festival!"

"And what? Bore her with you're dull company? I think she'd rather spend her time with someone less…vulgar and crude."

The silver haired nin looked about ready to explode.

"Tch…..Listen you piece of crap…I don't give two shits about what you think. So stop opening that wooden mouth of yours."

The red head raised a red eyebrow with an amused glint in his half lidded gaze.

"I'm just speaking the truth. Would a lady prefer a gentleman over an oaf?"

"Why you fucking little….You better pray to whatever god you worship, because you'll meet em' soon after I'm done with you." Hidan snarled menacingly while Sasori merely crossed his arms.

"You're all bark and no bite."

The taller man's hand twitched for his blood red weapon.

Although Deidara knew that Hidan would never really kill Sasori, due to their leader's wrath later. Yet he had a feeling that the Jashinist had no qualms about hurting the wooden man.

"I will be the one to fucking take her to this shitty festival."

"That's what you think."

If he was irritated before, he was angry now. And the Uchiha's voice didn't help matters either.

"This is rather pointless. How about we allow her to decide?"

The arguing stopped abruptly.

It did sound much more reasonable. But as much as the blonde wanted to agree with Itachi's idea, he couldn't. The fear that she would pick someone else over him was maddening. He'd rather lose the pleasure of her company tonight due to Hidan's brutality or Sasori's calculating ways or Itachi's slyness than to her own choice of some other Akatsuki member. If he lost her tonight because she didn't want him….. he'd break.

"Finally! Someone is around here is actually thinking and using their brains." Kisame's voice drifted from the end of the hallway. Effectively grabbing their attention.

"Geez, I can hear you guys argue all the way from downstairs. Good thing everyone is out at the celebration getting drunk or laid. I bet the inn keeper would've hear you all kicked you out."

The agitated air around them lifted after hearing the mist-nin's words. Something Deidara was very grateful for.

"Anyways, where's the angel?"

"Inside." Itachi answered immediately.

"No shit."

"Just shut it Hidan yeah."

"Fuck you!"

The blonde turned his annoyed expression into one of disgust.

"I don't swing that way Hidan." He held both his hands up and the mouths on each palm were grinning madly.

Just as the immortal was about to swing his red scythe at the bomber, the old wooden door clicked and swung open. Revealing the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. And no, he was not exaggerating in the slightest.

The pinkette was wearing a red and white kimono, so red that the color reminded him of freshly split blood and so white that it gave him memories of snow. The top of her dress was purely white, but around the knees, it would slowly blend into the deepest of reds. From pink to scarlet to red, it was eye catching and made her look all the more stunning. He was an artist, he looked into details and maybe even deeper. So he wasn't surprised when even the red obi around her slim waist caught his attention. It hugged her curves nicely yet not too tightly. Just right. His blue eyes traced every line and curve he could spot as she moved towards them. An anxious but radiant look on her slightly flushed face.

Deidara felt his heart skip a beat when those lovely green eyes landed on him for the briefest of moments. Pink lashes framed those expressive eyes, eyes that he wished that he could forever look into. And her hair, which was now short and messy, exposed that swan like neck for the entire world to see.

Those lips that quirked up in a tiny smile tempted him greatly.

"You look ravishing my Sakura."

The warmth that had spread through out his system was suddenly invaded by a frost that was caused by a certain Uchiha. He practically purred her name! Oh how much he wanted to pummel that smug look off his pale face.

The blush that painted her creamy cheeks was a pleasing sight. He could only hope that he would be the reason for it one day.

"Thank you Itachi. Well, you did pick it out for me. I hate to admit it but you have good taste."

The dark haired man smirked slightly and leaned close to the girl as they all started walking to the stairs, whispering something into the girl's ear so that no one else could hear it. The funny thing was, they were all highly ranked ninja. If they couldn't hear the words, they could most certainly read Itachi's lips with no trouble at all.

Deidara focused his eyes on his face, which was turned intimately towards Sakura's exposed neck, where his lips were based right under her ear.

The position itself made his blood boil.

However, the lips he was about to read and the words he was about to comprehend would make his blood do much worse things than just boil.

_You are absolutely right my blossom. I picked you didn't I? _

The blonde rolled his eyes at the man's cheek.

_Although, I have a feeling that you would look all the more ravishing without the dress. _

The cliché line should have been corny yet he made it sound so…(he hated to say it) erotic and sensual.

He could feel his hands clench into fists. His blue eyes scanned the area and noticed that his fellow Akatsuki members were busy doing the same.

Deidara saw Sakura move and glare furiously at Itachi, her cheeks red. Were it from anger or embarrassment he didn't know.

When the medic-nin replied that he was a pervert, he felt rather proud with her.

But of course, Itachi being the sly weasel that he was, whispered yet another reply that had her blushing so hard, he wondered how that was even possible.

_It's not like I haven't seen everything already. _

Kisame, Hidan, Sasori and Deidara almost choked at that.

She replied as they descended the steps and into the ground floor of the inn.

_Do you plan too? _

The look in her eyes were challenging, daring him to reply.

A part of him wanted to say that she was playing fire. That Itachi would most certainly attempt to get intimate with the blossom once more. Yet another part of him wondered. Wasn't he doing the same? Playing with the emerald fire that was commonly known as Sakura Haruno? The blonde knew, that if he didn't play his cards right, he would end up getting burned.

Deidara didn't have to read Itachi's lips to know his answer. He could already see it in those dark and bottomless eyes of his.

* * *

"Naruto, for the last time…I do not know when Sakura-chan will be coming back!" The Hokage yelled at the blonde boy who wore a frustrated expression on his usually happy and whiskered face.

"Why not?! You're the Hokage! You should know that!"

"Shut up! I don't have time for this non-sense, I have an entire village to run! She will come back once her mission is accomplished!"

Tsunade put one hand on her hip and the other was rubbing her forehead in hopes of ridding herself of the terrible migraine that he was causing.

"But when will that be?! I asked her before she left and she said that it wouldn't take long. Maybe even less than two weeks!" He held up two fingers and waved them in the air like a madman.

"Naruto….." She warned him.

"This is crazy! It's almost been two whole months, that's waaaaay longer than two weeks!"

"Naruto….." Her voice got a bit louder.

"And I need my friend back, plus she's an awesome medic. Not that the nurses aren't or anything. It's just that she heals much better than anyone else I know. But since you're the Hokage, you must be better. Wait- you're her master, of course you are!"

The Hokage's patience snapped.

"NARUTO!"

The demon container trembled and gave her a nervous grin.

"Y-yes?"

"GET OUT OF MY OFFICE AND DON'T YOU DARE COME BACK UNLESS I SUMMON YOU!"

He was then promptly kicked out of her office and thrown into the streets.

"This sucks." Naruto grumbled, kicking a pebble with his foot along the dusty road he was on. Sadly, the stone bounced off a nearby pole and hit him square on the forehead. This made him groan and rub on his head, much like how Tsunade was doing earlier.

"Nice shot." An amused voice called out.

The blonde ninja turned hastily, following that voice. Which led to a tree branch above him.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Ah….as sharp as ever Naruto."

His student huffed and crossed his arms childishly.

"Hm? No comeback? I expected more from you." The older man commented while never taking his eyes off his precious orange book.

It was silent once more and Kakashi raised a silver eyebrow as he read.

"Now this is surprising….You're not talking my ear off as usual."

When he didn't receive an indignant answer he presumed his blonde student would have, he frowned a bit.

"Are you running low on cash for ramen? If so, don't bother asking me for any money."

Naruto suddenly shoved both his hands into the pockets of his bright orange jump suit. His lower lip was jutting out slightly. He sighed,

"Alright, I'll be generous today. Five seconds. That's how long I'll stop reading and you will tell me what's bothering you."

"A minute."

Ah, so he speaks. Kakashi thought with a sly grin.

"Five seconds."

"Fifty seconds." His student pushed.

"Four seconds."

"Thirty!"

"Three-"

But before Kakashi could even finish his statement, Naruto started ranting on about their pink haired teammate not coming home, his constant worrying and Tsunade's refusal to divulge any information about her.

Once the boy had finished spewing words, the famous copy-nin reclined further into the tree and started reading where he had left off.

He had to hand it to Naruto, it took about ten seconds before he had yelled at him for not caring about the pinkette, and he expected him to crack at six.

One dark eye rolled at the sight of his worrying student.

"Did you hear? Kiba and his team got back just yesterday from their mission. Rather quick if you ask me…but then again, its expected if you have a hound or two who's a marvelous tracker."

Blue eyes widened in incredulity.

"What?..."

The copy-nin stood up, his eyes never leaving his book.

"Oh, do you play shogi? You should. I'm sure even your tiny brain can comprehend the rules…I think….And try playing against the Nara heir, I hear he's a genius."

"…Sensei?..."

As if Naruto had not spoken, he continued to talk.

"By the way, if you need any practicing and I'm busy-"

"Reading porn?" He asked, raising both his blonde eyebrows and giving him a pointed look.

"Romantic literature." Kakashi corrected as the boy below him rolled his bright blue eyes.

"You should check on the Hyuuga, he won't go easy on you."

And after those odd words, his sensei vanished, leaving him feeling more alone and confused than ever before.

An hour later, heard footsteps approaching him.

"Be careful, you look like you're about ready to explode." A familiar and lazy drawl called his attention.

"I think he looks constipated." Someone said and chuckled at his own joke, which in his opinion wasn't very funny.

Naruto refused to open his eyes and check who was talking to him, or he at least assumed they were talking to him. He was currently seated on the bench where he had almost kissed Sakura-chan, the memory alone brought a hot blush to his tanned cheeks.

"Ooh, look, he's as red as a tomato."

Yeahp, they were definitely talking about him.

A bark interrupted his thoughts of a certain pinkette.

The second he opened his eyes, he regretted it.

There, right before him, were three of his friends.

Oddly enough, Kakashi-sensei had mentioned their names earlier today.

"Kiba, Neji and Shikamaru?"

The Hyuuga nodded regally, the Nara scratched the back of his head and yawned while both canines were grinning, showing their pointy fangs.

"What are you guys doing here?" Naruto was weary, as much as he wanted to hang out with his pals, his mind was too busy fretting over Sakura.

"Aw, don't you miss us?"

Kiba pouted as his huge dog whimpered pathetically. However the blonde knew that they were just mocking him.

Rolling his blue eyes, he smiled just a bit.

"Shut up Kiba…sorry if I'm out of it. I just miss Sakura-chan. And she should have-"

"We know." Shikamaru linked his hands behind his head, looking like the perfect picture of boredom and calm.

"-been back by now…wait..what?"

"Kakashi-sensei came to all of us and hinted that you might need our help." He continued, glancing up at the sky where he watched the clouds drift by.

"Huh? Why would I need your help?"

This time it was Neji who spoke to him, rather irritably.

"You want to go search for Sakura yes?"

It was silent for a while as Naruto slowly yet surely registered everything he's heard from both his sensei and friends.

"Absolutely!"

The three nodded once more before Kiba gave a wolfish grin.

"You know what this means right?"

The blonde shook his head, a question mark evident on his face.

"We need a scent to search for Sakura-chan."

"Oh…okay."

Kiba's grin grew in size as he leaned closer, as if whispering a naughty secret.

Instantly, he leaned in to hear what he had to say.

"Let me tell you a secret Naruto. We need something that she uses a lot. Or something with a really really strong scent. For example, something with her hair….fingerprints….or some used laundry."

"Like an old shirt?"

"…something like that."

"Okay! Let's go to Sakura-chan's house!" He gave everyone a thumbs up and a huge grin.

THe three of them gestured for Naruto to lead them to the girl's house since they all didn't know her well enough to bother finding out where she lived.

A minute later, four ninjas were crammed into the bedroom of one Sakura Haruno.

"Well, it's not as girly as I thought it's be." Shikamaru mumbled before falling on Sakura's bed and snuggling to her pillows. A minute later, he was snoring.

"Geez, I didn't think he was this lazy." Naruto commented as he searched for some old laundry.

"I saw him working all night at the tower." Neji said, standing in the middle of the room, appearing very out of place in his teammate's bedroom.

"Jackpot!" Kiba's exuberant voice called out, gathering all of their attentions, even the Nara heir opened one eye to see what the dog boy had found.

The blonde's eyes widened, as did everyone else's at the garments that the brunette clutched in his hands.

"Is that?-"

"Hell yes." He answered Naruto with that same wolfish grin.

In both his hands, were Sakura's undies.

The next second, Kiba was on the floor with the demon container trying to land a punch on the boy.

"You're worse than my sensei! At least he didn't go through a girl's underwear!"

The brunette rolling on the floor dodged a kick in the groin.

"I'm not as bad as him! At least I don't read porn in public….besides….Sakura is no girl, she's a woman." Kiba growled appreciatively as he held up a black, lacy pair of undies.

He could feel something wet and warm dripping from his nose.

Suddenly, his treacherous mind imagined his pink haired teammate in that black fabric.

…..

Oh

…..

My

….

Kami

…

The dripping turned into a steady flow.

"Oh Kami! You're imagining her in them aren't you?" Kiba questioned, an evil glint in those dark eyes.

When Naruto didn't deny it, the dog boy laughed heartily, his hand immediately started covering the blood dribbling on his orange jump suit.

"Well, well…it seems even the human ice block has emotions."

Naruto turned sharply and saw a streak of pink across Neji's usually pale face. His blue eyes darted to Shikamaru, who had both eyes opened with a surprised look, and both his eyebrows were raised.

What made the situation all the more worse and embarrassing, was that Kiba had begun sniffing the cloth he held tightly in his hands.

He remained silent while he waited for their tracker to finish his business.

"Damn….smells…..so…."

"..so?..." the blonde asked tentatively, unsure.

"…fucking delicious."

The silence that followed his statement was unbearably awkward.

"What the hell did you just say about my teammate?!"

"I'm serious, here you smell." Kiba threw the black lace in his direction and he had no choice but to catch it, at least that's what he kept telling himself.

"What? No way." Naruto felt like his face was on fire.

"Yes way. You're kyuubi enhanced senses may be as good as my canine ones….so, take a sniff."

The brunette urged him, daring him to do it.

But would he?

…..

_I'm sorry Sakura-chan._

With a flushed face and a trembling hand, he brought up the undies and took a short whiff.

Which turned into a longer one, then a longer one, and then finally Kiba had to snatch the fabric from his hands before he inhaled the thing.

"Told you."

The blonde nodded dazedly, his senses still tingling from the onslaught of smells. It was like sugar and spice. No other way to describe his best friend's scent. Sweet yet tangy, saccharine yet tart. A bittersweet combination that made his mouth simply water.

"Not to interrupt your drooling or perverted fantasies, but I'd like to point out that we better leave before the Hokage will summon for someone."

The logical voice of Shikamaru jarred him from his thoughts.

"Oh…yeah." He nodded and so did Neji.

"Wait…don't you like helping at the tower?" Kiba wondered as they readied themselves to leave.

The Nara heir tsked and put both his hands into his pockets, slouching.

"Yeah well…paperwork is a bitch."

* * *

"Wow." The pink haired woman smiled at the yellow glittering lights that were hanging suspended over their heads. It gave the streets a warm and romantic glow. Crowds of people were gathered around several food stalls or games where they ate and played like they had no worries. It made the smile on her face grow, just seeing the happiness that everyone in this quaint little village radiated. What made the setting even better was the sky. Clear and dark. She could see each silvery star against the ink black sky with clarity. But there were also splashes of color from the confetti that fell from the rooftops where children were having fun throwing them at the adults. They were giggling and laughing as the rest of the town enjoyed the festival.

The pinkette saw many women-wearing kimono's as well. However, she was glad to say that hers was the most unique.

Now that Sakura thought about her dress, a memory from the day before resurfaced instantly.

"_You're very lucky you know." _

_The old lady who wore a warm smile said as she put on the kimono. Her words confused her greatly. _

"_Excuse me?"_

"_Oh, no need to be so bashful dear. No one can hear us back here." She knocked against the wooden door of the store's dressing room. Sakura furrowed her brows as the woman continued to speak with mirth dancing in her eyes. _

"_I don't understand, I'm lucky about what?" She wondered out loud, her hands touching the silky fabric of the dress._

"_I can see it plain as day." _

_Her green eyes faced the storeowner, curiosity shining in them. _

"_The man loves you." _

_The medic-nin promptly choked on her own saliva. _

"_Are you alright dearie?" _

"…_..yes, I'm just a bit…shocked with your words." _

"_But how? I can see and hear how much he cares for you." The old woman tightened the obi sash around her waist. _

"_His voice is so warm and intimate when he speaks of you, or anything pertaining to you I'd imagine." _

_Sakura remained quiet as she spoke, afraid that her voice would falter and eventually stop. _

"_And did you notice how he requested for specific colors?" _

_She nodded slowly, finding it a bit odd as well. _

"_I can bet you my entire kimono collection, that those colors are inspired by his family crest." _

_Her heart skipped a beat. _

"_Why would you assume such a thing?" Her voice was cautious, curious if the woman recognized Itachi from the Uchiha clan. _

"_Why the way he holds himself is a clear sign of nobility! So regal and proper, just like a prince." _

_Sakura rolled her green eyes with a fond smile at the lady, who was giving her wink._

"_Finally, His eyes follow wherever you go. As if there was a thread connecting the two of you." _

_A moment later, Sakura spoke. Her voice was tentative yet strong. Something she had to commend herself on later. _

"_It's impossible. We can't be together." _

"_And why not?" Goodness, it sounded like the lady was actually reprimanding her!_

"…_There are countless reasons." _

"_Like?" She prompted the pinkette. _

_The old woman's gaze met with her own in the mirror, waiting for her to answer. _

"_He can't feel that for me…or anyone for that matter." _

_The smile on the woman's face grew and so did the warmth and understanding in her eyes. She spoke with a motherly tone, much like how her own mother would explain things to her as a child. _

"_Let me tell you something dear, all men, no matter how old or young, no matter how reserved or brazen…" _

_Sakura bit her lip, afraid for what she would hear and how she might react. _

"…_No matter how cold or emotionless…can feel, especially for a woman. He just has to find the right one for him." _

She shook her head, in hopes to rid herself of these thoughts. Her brows furrowed as she contemplated what the old lady had said about men and how all of them could feel. Was Itachi an exception?

But before she could ponder any longer, a pair of arms encircled her slim waist and held on tight.

"What the-?"

"Shhh….be still my doll."

And with that, Sakura and her captor disappeared from the middle of the festival.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE :** please read! Especially if you're wondering where is the Deisaku I promised.

Okaaaay…..I know I put a preview in the last chapter….and I'm really sorry but I couldn't fit it in. Actually, this chapter is much longer than the other ones. Anyways, I hope all my wonderful and lovely reviewers will forgive the lack of Deisaku in this update. But do not worry! The next one will have the preview in it, trust me. Okay, I'm hoping that you guys wont hate me for that. On a lighter note, hope you like this chapter! And lots of thanks and love to all my readers and reviewers, you all mean a lot to me! :D – VZ


	32. G i v e - a n d - T a k e

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there's any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

They were already past their village's boundaries when Naruto simply couldn't take it anymore.

"Will you stop burying your face in my teammate's panties?!"

Yes, the statement sounded absolutely ridiculous, however it wasn't any less true.

Both canines turned their heads to the blonde who looked about ready to go into three tails mode.

"But Naruto, We need to do this." His dog barked happily, his tail wagging side to side.

His eyebrow twitched in irritation.

"I get that, but do you have to inhale the damn thing every five minutes?!"

That same wolfish grin appeared on the brunette's tanned face.

"I don't have to…"

He sighed in relief-

"…I want to."

-only to choke on the breath he was letting out.

But before he could come close to pummeling the dog, Shikamaru came out of nowhere and flicked his forehead.

"Youch!"

"Quiet. Let Kiba do his business." The Nara heir drawled, his hands buried within his pockets.

He wondered how the hell could anyone possibly look lazy when running and jumping across treetops at break neck speed.

His blue eyes were drilling holes into the back of the canine's head, fuming at him for sniffing his best friend's underwear as if it was the sweetest drug imaginable. But then again, maybe it was.

And it wasn't like he was upset because he only got to sniff it a few times while Kiba actually brought the damn thing with them.

…right?...

"But-" he was abruptly cut off by his usual calm voice.

"Naruto." The cold and stren voice of Neji halted his protests before it even left his mouth.

"Besides…I'd imagine Sakura-chan would be curious to how we found her."

In the corner of his eye, he could see Kiba stiffen and Neji….smirk?

Naruto shook his head, thinking that he was imagining things. He tried his best to focus on the task at hand. Which was finding Sakura and bringing her home.

Yet he couldn't help but wonder.

He knew the pink haired medic was incredibly strong and smart. She should be able to escape any situation if she put her mind into it.

By the time they had reached a humongous crater with a strand of long pink hair and an odd tree with a hole right smack in the middle of it, he came up with two conclusions why she was missing.

One, the scenario was much worse than she had ever encountered before and she simply couldn't escape, something he highly doubted.

Two, something or someone, was convincing her to stay.

The only question now was, who?

* * *

"Where the hell is my bitch?! Like seriously?!" Hidan yelled at no one in particular near the food stands. Luckily, the people were either deaf or too focused on the festivities, that they failed to notice a certain silver haired nin shouting at the frying squid.

"Shut up Hidan, you're not helping yeah!" Deidara said, his glare was fierce and his stance was tense.

The taller man rolled his eyes and crossed his arms moodily.

"And you are? I bet you don't care that she's missing! Just fuck off and let me find my bitch!"

He remained quiet, trying reign in his anger.

"Tch…at least I'm doing something for her."

The blonde's hands clenched into fists, so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"Trust me Hidan, I sure as hell do more for her than just care."

And with that, he turned sharply on his heel and weaved through the crowds. His blue eyes scanning the mass of moving people in hopes of finding a familiar head of pink hair.

Deidara was not just concerned.

He was worried beyond belief.

It was obvious that they had no idea where the pinkette had run off. One second she was a few yards before them (Since they couldn't decide who would escort her, in the end they all ended up going) then she as suddenly gone. As if she had vanished into thin air.

He felt like an absolute idiot for letting his mind wander and drop his guard for only the briefest of moments. However he justified it was because he felt stiff. He knew it sounded ridiculous yet it was more than true. His whole body stilled and his thoughts were racing. But as soon as the sensation of being motionless or paralyzed had come, it disappeared. It was disconcerting to say the least. Not to mention odd. Because right after that, when he looked up to check on the blossom, she wasn't there.

Deidara searched the horde of people desperately, relentlessly.

Once he ran around the entire village like an idiot, he ended up right where he started. What surprised him was that he found his fellow Akatsuki members already there looking tired and quite ragged.

The blonde didn't need to ask; he could immediately tell that they didn't have any luck finding the medic-nin either.

"Where could our angel possibly be?" Kisame ground out, his teeth grinding together.

At first, he thought it was rather strange that the mist-nin had begun calling Sakura 'angel', however he realized that it was a perfect nickname for her.

"The hell should I know?!"

Even though Hidan was acting more of a bastard than usual, Deidara knew it was because he was worried as well.

"Hold the fuck up….where's that damn Uchiha?"

The three of them turned and searched, finding nothing.

The bomber felt a pound of lead being dropped into the pit of his belly.

Sasori wasn't here either.

And he had a feeling that his danna was with her.

With the woman that he felt deep feelings for.

Hell no.

And with that, Deidara too, vanished. Swearing to find his partner, the Uchiha, and his Sakura-chan.

* * *

Sakura felt the wind whip across her cheeks and she knew that the warm glow of the village lights will soon fade away. Wherever this person was taking her, he was taking her there fast. It was so sudden, and so peculiar. This wasn't a normal kidnapping or (Kami forbid) rape. No, he would most likely be rough with her. Yet the man holding her tightly but with obvious care was not the slightest bit violent towards her. The fact that he didn't even bother to gag her of knock her unconscious was proof of how much he trusted her not to scream her head off.

Sakura also remembered him whispering something into her ear.

He said it so softly…

….my doll…

Wait…didn't a certain red head prefer calling her that?

….

Oh Kami.

….

He _didn't_.

...

"Sasori?" She questioned, her green eyes focused on him.

He had changed her position, now she was being cradled like baby. Instead of his arms encircling her waist, he had one arm supporting her back and the other was curled around the back of her knees, holding up her legs with ease.

"My doll." He smirked.

It was the kind of smirk that was smug and self-assured. Much like his demeanor to her when they first met in that dark and wet cave.

The pinkette would never admit it out loud, especially now, but she found her enemy quite attractive.

His striking hair and slightly droopy eyes were his most distinctive traits.

Suddenly the wind stopped and the warm light was gone. In it's place was the quiet night and the moon shining eerily above them. They had stopped right below a cherry blossom tree; she almost smiled at the coincidence. But then again, was it?

"Why?"

Sasori didn't put her down, he merely held her tighter.

"Because I am obsessed."

The medic-nin's eyes widened in shock of his words, which didn't make sense to her at all.

"I don't understand Sasori. Please explain." Sakura muttered, exasperated with the man carrying her with no trouble at all.

A characteristic that she liked about Sasori was how blunt he was. Yes, he can be calculating and incisive. However, he can be brutality honest as well. There was no hiding behind bushes, or twisting of words. Only truth, respect and art when it came to him. Something that she can admire.

He narrowed those droopy eyes on her before speaking.

"Give and take, that is my offer. I will speak, but only if you do."

She hesitated before nodding slowly. Gesturing for him to start and that she would follow.

Besides, what did she have to lose?

Her green eyes observed every movement he made, even the tiniest ones.

Like the way he shook his head lightly whenever there were locks of red hair near his eyes.

The way he would look at you and only you.

The way tilted his head to the side and his lips would turn up slowly, curling into a crooked grin.

Yes, she didn't support his part in Akatsuki. However she could respect the man he is here before her. Not the puppet that had traded his body for power and immortality. Instead, the boy who seemed lost and only wanted the warmth of his parent's embrace.

Sasori tilted her chin upwards so that she could look nowhere else but him.

"I am haunted by your very presence my dear doll. Everything about you is perfection to me."

Once again, his statement had frightened her. Yet for some reason, it excited her as well.

Sakura then realized that it was her turn to speak. And she had a feeling that he wanted her to talk about him since he was complementing her.

"Your words frighten and...and excite me."

Well, what better thing to say than the truth? But then again, those words simply flew out of her mouth. Her brain had no time or power to stop them.

"Your beauty bewitched me."

Sakura watched with a racing heart as he leaned close and brushed a pink lock of hair away from her cheek.

"You aren't so bad…for a block of wood."

Just because she was nervous and her heart was palpitating, didn't mean she would turn into the puddle of goo that her Inner had already become.

Nope.

She wouldn't let him get the better of her.

He chuckled lightly at her bold statement.

"Your mind is sharp."

Sasori caressed her cheek lightly, hardly touching her skin.

"I think you're very clever as well. It did take a while to make an antidote for that poison you made."

"Ah, that is also proof of your exceptionally high skills in medical herbs and the like."

She felt the warm glow of pride bloom in her chest.

All of a sudden, the ground beneath them vanished.

A second later, they had landed on a thick branch of the cherry blossom tree. Which was in full bloom. Its flowers were alive and full of vitality. Blooming beautifully under the light of the silvery moon.

But her attention was quickly turned to the man who gently put her down…on his lap.

He didn't seem bothered with her weight or the kimono she was wearing as they sat down on the tree branch. If anything, he appeared almost…content. He looked younger with his eyes less hooded and dark.

Sakura found that she liked it. A lot.

After a beat of silence, he opened his mouth and spoke.

"Your strength surpasses mine."

He pressed his forehead against hers.

"I have been taught by the Hokage herself." She replied, trying her absolute best to ignore the heat that bloomed on either side of her cheeks, much like the flowers did around them.

"I heard." The red head's lips quirked up into a crooked grin.

"...Well, it took all of my strength to defeat you the first time.

He brought up a wooden hand to brush her blushing skin once more. This time he did it slower.

And she could feel his wooden fingers pressing into her skin. It was a foreign feeling. An odd sensation. Yet she found it captivating all the same.

"If only they had not intervened the last time we battled."

Now she was sure her face was flaming.

Their last spar was intense. In every sense of the word.

Not only had he thrown blades, knifes and so much more. Sasori had also kissed her. He had taken her first kiss on the battlefield. With his fellow Akatsuki members there, watching every minute of it.

"I'm glad they did." Her tone was acidic and toxic, much like his poisons.

The arms around her tightened.

"Why would you say such a thing to me my doll? Was I not satisfactory enough for you?"

Memories of that chaste and gentle yet hot and scorching kiss raced through her mind, causing it to go blank, replying clearly wasn't an option for her at the moment.

He heard him tsk and felt his breath on her lips.

"I asked you a question."

Sakura looked up at him defiantly, not willing to let him have the upper hand here.

"I don't have to answer it."

"Tsk...Tsk. Give and take remember? Or have you forgotten?"

She mentally sighed. Hating herself for agreeing to such a thing in the first place.

The pinkette really didn't want to make the situation any worse, yet he wasn't giving her much of a choice.

Well, she said she would answer but that didn't mean she couldn't lie right?

"No."

"No? Did you really forget?" He almost sounded incredulous.

Sakura was very tempted to smirk at him right then.

"I have a great memory Sasori, so no I didn't forget our agreement. The kiss on the other hand, was hardly worth remembering."

The raise of his eyebrows and the tensing of his shoulders was simply too much. So, she smirked wickedly at her captor.

"This is not good."

"Too bad."

"Then I have no choice." Sasori nodded to himself before leaning close, much too close.

"S-sasori? What do you think you're doing?"

"Correcting a mistake."

She put her fingers on his chin and applied pressure while her other hand pressed on his chest, in hopes of preventing him from his advances.

"Which is what exactly?"

He moved close, ignoring the small amounts of chakra in her hands to keep him in place.

It seemed he was much stronger than she previously thought.

"I wanted to imprint our kiss in your heart, mind and body for the rest of eternity. Clearly, I didn't do a good job. So I intend to try again."

Her green eyes widened after catching his meaning.

"You can't-"

"Oh, I will. And there's no one here to stop me."

As he lowered his head and prepared to crush his lips against hers, a voice called their attention. It was dripping with malice and rage.

"You're mistaken."

Her heart skipped a beat after hearing that familiar and deep voice, which was quivering in anger.

"Get away from what is mine and Don't you touch her. Or you will regret it, boy."

The arms around her didn't let go. But the man holding her didn't bother looking up and neither did she.

Sakura knew that the one who had come for her was none other than Itachi Uchiha.

"She does not belong to you." He replied easily.

"No, but she will."

"She is right here!" The pinkette said quite irritably, not liking the fact that they were speaking about her as if she were some object and as if she wasn't present.

Those impossibly red eyes looked straight at her, clashing with her own green ones.

And in that moment, she saw the very last emotions she expected to see in his usual cold and detached gaze.

Hurt.

Betrayal.

Pain.

Her stomach churned as she bit her bottom lip nervously.

Why would he feel cheated on? They obviously weren't together. And how come she felt like she did this to him? Like she was the one to inspire these horrid feelings inside the man who was standing menacingly on the tree branch above them.

As he looked down on the two of them, she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of fear. A sliver of dread that was spreading throughout her body.

"Deidara!" He barked.

She inwardly winced. A cold and emotionless Itachi was one thing, yet an angry and volatile one? She had no idea how to deal with such a man.

"I know you're up there in the sky, come down and get the blossom while I deal with this foolish boy."

Out of the blue (literally) a big white bird swooped down from the sky. Heading straight for the cherry blossom tree.

And if she wasn't surprised with the blonde's sudden appearance, then the hands that carried her bridal style did.

"Sasori?"

He smiled that lovely lopsided grin before kissing her briefly on the forehead.

"I hope you will remember that one."

Sakura knew she would. That short yet kind act of intimacy was strangely endearing.

Something she didn't expect from the wooden man holding her.

"I think I will."

He grinned before flinging her out of his arms, out of the tree and into the arms of another artist.

* * *

"Are you alright yeah?" Deidara inquired, the expression of his face was one of anxiety.

"I'm good. Just a bit worried for Sasori and Itachi."

Yes, saying that you were concerned for two most wanted criminals in the entire shinobi world was ludicrous. However, what she said was the truth.

In that short span of time, she had grown attached to the infamous group of Akatsuki.

She didn't know why or how. It just seemed like she wanted and needed to be around them. A headache was forming at the base of her skull and both her temples the more she thought about it, so she decided to think less now and more later.

"Don't worry yeah. They can't kill each other because leader will be pissed."

"And if they get hurt?"

"Then it's a good thing we have an amazing medic."

She laughed at his wink and the grins that both his hands gave her.

"I guess so."

The flapping of the bird's wings were the only sounds in the sky until Deidara broke the quiet stillness that had enveloped them.

"So you'd really do it?"

"Do what?"

Sakura laid down on the slick white surface of the bird as they soared throughout the inky black sky.

"Heal them. I just thought that you'd hate us, all of us. After kidnapping you and all."

After a moment of silence, she spoke.

Her voice was clear and strong, much like her personality.

"I would. I actually healed Itachi once. He had taken a hit for me so it's only fair that I make sure he lives. And if those two idiots really fight and get hurt doing so…I have no choice but to heal them. I have a feeling that I started this whole mess."

Deidara desperately wanted to nod and say 'Yeah! You're the reason why almost all the Akatsuki members and practically in love with you!' But of course, he couldn't.

"You do have a choice you know."

Another moment of silence before she replied.

"No, I have to. I'm Akatsuki's personal medic right?" She chuckled lightly.

It was meant to be a joke yet Deidara clearly didn't find it funny. Her laughter slowly died down when he didn't laugh with her.

"It must be horrible for you yeah. To be around criminals that could kill you any second if leader ordered it."

Sakura didn't hesitate this time.

"Not really. At first I was scared. But now…."

The blonde lay down next to her, unafraid to let the bird fly on it's own since there were no enemies tailing them.

"But now?..." he prompted, eager for her answer.

"Can I tell you something Dei?"

His heart immediately warmed at the new nickname. Yes, he liked it whenever she said '-kun' yet this one seemed so much more intimate.

"Anything."

"…When I was losing consciousness and I fell to the ground in the woods, where Sasuke had found me, I was thinking of home and how much I missed it."

He was saddened by her words, not liking where this was going.

"And the weird thing was, when I was imagining home, I saw the underground base."

Scratch that, he loved where this was going.

"I saw you and everyone else."

Although he would have preferred him alone, he was still overjoyed by her words.

"So…trust me when I say that I don't hate you guys."

A blush coated her cheeks while he grinned like the lovesick fool that he was.

Sakura had no idea why she was being so honest with Deidara and being so close to him. All she knew right now was how comfortable she felt with him lying next to her, under the sky and glittering stars.

But the moment didn't last because Deidara had begun shoving his hands into his clay pouches and stood up abruptly.

"Don't get up, I want to show you something. Think of it as a thank you, for being open with me."

The blonde lifted his hands up into the air, throwing out white birds that flew up into the clouds of the dark night.

"Like…give and take?"

He grinned at her.

"Exactly."

After he resumed his earlier position next to her, the sky was suddenly filled with waves of sound and bursts of light.

She watched with wide eyes as the birds exploded one by one, as sad as that was, it was extremely beautiful as well.

It was bright and loud but she didn't care.

She was too busy admiring the light show before her, failing to notice a certain bomber staring at her with adoring blue eyes.

"It was spectacular Deidara-kun! You're absolutely right...Art is a bang." Sakura smiled at him, her green eyes were clear, beautiful and bright. Filling him with a warmth that he never wanted to leave.

He brought his hands up and cupped her face, making sure to be gentle in every possible way. His art can be brutal, loud and explosive. However, when it came to Sakura, who might as well be the very personification of his art, it was different. He was different when he was with her. He was better.

"Forgive me Sakura-chan...but I'm going to break a promise I made to you so long ago."

And with that, he leaned down and...

Sakura was astounded.

For some insane reason, she could feel herself responding.

Leaning close and wanting to meet him halfway.

Deidara was sweet and so very kind to her. And the way he respected her limits and boundaries was so unlike most men that she found it so adorable.

But just as she was about to tilt her head and kiss him, he did the most unimaginable thing possible.

…He stopped.

The pinkette looked up at him and was surprised at what she saw.

His blue eyes were staring straight into hers. The eyes that were usually so bright and mischievous appeared so...so sad and conflicted.

He was biting his lips hard, so hard that he was drawing blood.

It beaded on his lip like a red pearl, his teeth still digging deeper.

"Stop it Dei!"

Her medic-mode turned on and the tip of her index finger glowed green.

He watched as she brushed over his bottom lip briefly and healed the tiny cut. Which only angered him. The pain helped him. As odd as it sounded, he welcomed the pain. He needed it desperately. Because without it, he would feel guilty.

Guilty for almost breaking his promise and acting like some desperate fool, but he knew deep down that he already was.

Guilty for wanting someone that he obviously couldn't have.

Guilty for feeling something for someone who might not even feel the same.

Guilty for craving someone who was simply too good for him, who _deserved_ better than him.

"I can't." He said, his voice was hoarse and raspy.

"Dei?"

This time it was Sakura who cupped both his tanned cheeks and made him look directly into her eyes. Not the sky, the ground or even the bird, only her.

"I can't Sakura-chan."

"Can't what?"

"I can't kiss you."

The unexpected feeling of hurt and rejection filled her at her very core. It must have been on her face as well because he noticed it instantly.

"Sakura-chan, I want to kiss you, desperately...but…I can't."

The hurt left, but confusion took its place.

"I don't understand."

He sighed, appearing like he wanted to make something explode.

Her green eyes glanced down at the bird they were on anxiously.

"I can't do it Sakura-chan. I'm sure that once I do kiss you, that'll be it for me yeah." His blonde eyebrows furrowed as she tried to understand where this was going. What the man before her was trying to convey with choked words.

This time, she bit her lip nervously.

"What I'm trying to say is…that once I have a taste, I won't be able to get enough."

Deidara hoped she would catch on to his meaning, his heart was beating so fast that he felt like it would burst right out of his chest.

He saw realization shine in her lovely green eyes.

"Dei….are you saying…"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

He nodded, placing his larger hands over hers, which were still cupping the sides of his face.

"But how?...and why?"

"Because…you're...everything Sakura-chan. The very personification of my art. The one person who I worry for. The one person in my life that I'm actually afraid to lose yeah."

Sakura had never felt so scared or excited in her entire life. It was maddening to say the least. It was like her vocal cords were severed because she couldn't speak anymore. Her body was stiff and her palms warm from the heat emanating from his cheeks. His hands were on top of hers and she felt safe, protected.

"I don't know how I came to care so deeply for you yeah."

The mouths on both his palms pressed tiny butterfly kisses over her hands.

"But I really don't care, not as long as you're here with me."

Deidara couldn't stop.

He couldn't rein in the torrent of emotions that he had kept bottled in his chest the moment he had seen her wear his shirt.

What started out as curiosity that turned into mild infatuation has blossomed into something so deep and different that he was afraid of how this would turn out.

He couldn't halt or take back his words now.

"Dei…"

He shut his eyes, not ready for her rejection.

It would be harsh and painful and he could only hope that she would end it quickly.

"I-"

She was cut off, by a tall dark and angry Uchiha.

"Deidara, You're partner is in need of your assistance. I suggest you hurry." He said coldly, Blood red eyes pierced his very soul.

And with that, he grabbed Sakura and jumped off the clay bird, leaving the blonde to fume and wonder to himself.

What was she about to say?

Unfortunately, Now was not the time for that, right now, he had to find his partner.

He narrowed his eyes as he directed his creation to fly over to the cherry blossom tree, where he would find his danna, broken and beaten into a useless amount of wood.

* * *

Ta-da! Hope you all liked it ! Wow, two chapters in two days, I'm on a roll here guys! it's even getting longer, yey! Anyways, lots of love and thanks to my reviewers and readers! I hope i can make it to 600 reviews! woo! hehe, forgive my many exclamation points, I'm just so happy that lots of people like my story. Till' next time! - VZ


	33. P a s s i o n

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

To say Sakura was angry was a severe understatement. She had long past that level of rage and was now teetering to the point of livid. For the second time this evening in less than two hours, Itachi Uchiha had appeared out of nowhere and whisked her off to yet another destination. It was vexing to say the least. He acted so high and mighty, as if he owned her. And that he must be made aware of where she was and whatever she planned to do.

First he had ordered Deidara to fly her away from his own partner and now he had grabbed her and jumped off the giant white bird with an irate expression on his face. As if she were the one causing troubles here! It's not like she wanted to be kidnapped by the red head. Well, in truth she didn't really object either. But what else should she do? Scream her head off for help? Then what? Sasori didn't seem threatening so she didn't respond accordingly.

An S-ranked criminal wanted to speak with her alone and had almost kissed her. As strange as it sounded, it was true. And the odd thing was, Sakura wasn't the least bit frightened. Okay, she was shocked by his words and actions however she never had to fear if he would hurt her. Yes, it was a possibility that she could get wounded or even killed. Yet she was not afraid. Because deep down, she had seen in those hazel depths, that he would not hurt her.

And now here she was, carried over Itachi's shoulder like she was a sack of potatoes.

Her eye twitched in irritation.

This was _really_ pushing it.

As much as Sakura wanted to yell, kick and punch the man holding her, she couldn't. It's not like she didn't have the anger or strength to do so. No, she those two things in abundance.

It's because of the expression on his face.

He just looked so…pained.

As if he was in pure agony.

Now how could she punch someone who already looked so hurt?

Her green eyes narrowed at the sight of the dark haired man holding her, curiosity gleaming in those viridian orbs.

He must have felt her gaze because the next second, he glanced at her.

Inky black met with a brilliant green.

Even now, the pinkette was still startled by the amount of trust he had placed in her. By not activating his sharingan, he was exposing himself. True, he was still perfectly capable of protecting himself but still….

This was a vulnerable position for the Uchiha.

"Itachi."

Her voice was hesitant, the anger slowly fading at the expression on his face.

Suddenly, the sullen look was gone, and the famous sharingan eyes had returned.

In it's place was a dark mask that was...empty.

Void of any emotion or feeling at all, like had shut the doors to his reactions, locked it and thrown away the key.

"Silence, we will arrive at the inn shortly."

The order was harsh and cold, a perfect Uchiha response.

And just like that, all the wrath that had abated moments ago thanks to his interruptions tonight was back full force. Increasing in strength due to the demand she had just received from the stoic man.

Sakura bit her lips from letting out all the anger that she kept bottled up inside her. Curses and fowl words desperately wanted to leave her tongue but she wouldn't allow it.

She would try and question Itachi. Ask him what the hell is wrong with him. And if he still acts like a total prick, then she would have no choice but to unleash all her fury on the man.

* * *

Naruto and the others were still on their search for Sakura. They had not bothered to rest or take a break in fear that the trail would go stale or the blonde would lose his temper. He had been quite volatile since the day they had found that long strand of hair that could only belong to his lost teammate.

The four was working twice as hard going thrice as fast, if that was even possible. However the length of the strand did raise debates if it truly was hers. But He would have none of that. As long as he was concerned, if it was pink, it was hers. Who else had bright bubble gum pink hair anyways? True, his logic was not sound. Yet his group understood why he would feel such anxiety and hurry. Sakura was his best friend and family. They knew that he would go to hell and back if it meant getting one step closer to her.

And this thin strand of hair was evidence that they were on the right track.

Naruto could only hope.

"Hey guys! Look at what I found."

Kiba's loud voice got everyone's attention immediately.

Three pairs of eyes followed both dogs, which were crouched around a massive clearing.

The area looked like a battlefield.

There were trees broken at the trunks; branches laying everywhere and the ground itself were uneven.

The blonde surveyed the vicinity, which might have been rather peaceful before, appeared like a combat zone. He assumed it used to be covered in grass. Instead, only patches of green could be seen.

It was as if a nuclear bomb had been dropped in the area.

"Oh Kami." He murmured to no one in particular.

"You got that right." The canine barked, agreeing with its master.

"Kiba, sniff out the area and tell us if you smell even the smallest trace of Sakura." Shikamaru's laid-back voice was quiet but in the silent clearing, it was quite loud.

"Sure thing." And with a long whiff of the black panties, Kiba's favorite play thing at the moment, he sped off. Running like the animal he was, he circled the entire area in less than a minute. Returning with a cautious yet interested expression on his tanned face.

"Well?" Naruto asked, anxious.

"I've got good and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

He didn't hesitate, his patience was thinning rapidly and he was already beyond tired.

"I don't care, just say it."

Kiba shrugged uncaringly and crossed his arms.

"I found Sakura's scent all over the place…."

His blue eyes brightened-

"…and I found Sasuke's as well."

-only to dim at the sound of his old teammate's name.

"Their scents constantly blend and mingle together. Which means they must have been near each other."

He continued, watching Naruto's eyes darken even more.

"If that's true, then there is a possibility that the Uchiha and Sakura were the ones who had done this." Shikamaru gestured to the clearing, a contemplative glint in his calculating eyes.

"Hn…I'm not surprised. She does have her mentor's strength to accomplish such a task."

Neji added, placing on hand on his hip and shifting his weight so that he was leaning on his right leg.

Kiba hesitated before speaking, not used to comforting or anything of the like.

"Listen, I said 'bad news' because Sasuke is considered a missing-nin now Naruto."

When the blonde didn't reply, he kept going. Ignoring the presences of the Nara and Hyuuga entirely.

"He's a bad guy. At least, that's what everyone's been saying about him. I didn't know him that well and I know you did so…." He trailed off, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"It's alright Kiba."

He muttered darkly, understanding his friend's attempts to cheer him up but they all knew that it wasn't working.

Naruto was glad that they were getting close to the pink haired medic, yet he was conflicted by the fact that Sasuke had been with her. Yes, he still wanted to bring his friend home. No, he did not believe that the youngest Uchiha was beyond saving. However, the question was…. who would he go after? His long lost friend or the one who had stayed dutifully by his side?

If he were still going to honor his promise to Sakura, then he would have no choice but to chase after Sasuke. Yet he wanted to desperately find her, who knows what happened to her? Did it make him a bad person for even thinking about this?

His friends could see the clash of emotions in the blonde's eyes.

For a while it was quiet, not a single sound broke the heavy silence. That is, until a lazy Nara heir spoke up.  
"Geez, this is too troublesome."

To this, Neji crossed his arms and rolled his eyes and Kiba tilted his head back and laughed.

"Is there one time in your life when you're not so damn lazy?"

Shikamaru raised a dark eyebrow.

"It's not being lazy, it's conserving energy."

The canine grinned and flashed a fang.

"For what exactly?"

The pineapple haired brunette linked his hands behind his head, a smirk on his face.

"What do you think?"

Realization shone in Kiba's eyes immediately, catching onto his friend's drift.

"Ha! You must be shittin' me!"

"I shit you not."

Naruto could feel the tense air around the four of them lift and even he was starting to smile. In the corner of his eye, Neji seemed less tense as well.

It appeared that slightly perverse banter was just what they needed to lessen the strain on his shoulders.

"Wow Shikamaru, who knew you were saving up energy for that?" Naruto exclaimed.

He shrugged, not at all ashamed with his bold confession.

Kiba suddenly swung an arm around Naruto and whispered loudly in his ear, as if he were telling him a secret but it was obvious that Neji and Shikamaru could hear them exchange words.

"I wonder who he's spending all his energy on then."

His blue eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Yeah, do you think it's Temari? Or maybe Ino?"

Next to them, an amused expression appeared on the Hyuuga's pale face.

While Shikamaru slouched even more and shoved his hands into his once more.

"I say it's both. That must be why he's so sleepy all the time. He's got two girls keeping him bust all night long."

Both boys shared perverted grins as they watched Shikamaru for his reaction, who merely shrugged.

"I'm not ashamed."

"Wait…so it's true?!"

"Are you serious?!" Kiba and Naruto yelled at the same time, making the two other brunette's shake their heads at their childishness.

"I guess you'll never know."

But before Kiba could ask another question about Shikamaru's love life, a breeze blew his way. And with it came a familiar scent that one again mingled with a certain pinkette's.

"Guys!"

Three pairs of eyes instantly locked onto his tattooed face.

"I smell…."

They waited.

"Sasuke…and….."

He took another long whiff of the air.

"…he's getting farther away….."

To this Naruto sighed.

"I know Sakura would want me to o after him but..I can't. She's much more important right now. And if we can still track him down in the future, I'd want her by my side. She should be with me when team seven will be reunited."

Shikamaru yawned and Neji nodded.

Kiba petted his dog briefly before standing up and readied himself to run at breakneck speed once more.

"Well? What are we waiting for? I'm sure Sakura misses us already."

And after Naruto grinned, hoping that she really was hoping to see them soon, they vanished. Disappearing into the trees and cloaked in the night, they ran, in hopes of finding their lost blossom.

* * *

Itachi had brought them back to the small inn, where he dropped her on the bed flat on her ass.

She huffed and fixed her dress. Which was still, thankfully, fine.

She decided to smooth out all the wrinkles and creases on the fine silk, using it as a reason not to meet his eyes and a distraction from his very presence.

Once five minutes had passed and there were no more lines to straighten in her kimono, Sakura had no choice but to meet his gaze.

They had a stare down which lasted for almost another five minutes before she cracked. Patience was not her strongest point in life.

And so, she steeled herself and hoped her voice would not betray how nervous she actually felt.

"What did you do to Sasori?"

His red eyes flashed dangerously when she said the artist's name.

"I merely punished him for touching what is mine."

Anger bit at her after he declared her, his again. Sure it can be a sort of term of affection at some point yet right now, she felt like it was a shackle. Weighing her down and preventing her from making her own choices, from even being around her other friends.

Yes, she considered the other males in Akatsuki her friends.

Too bad they want to be more than that, and the poor girl was practically oblivious to their advances.

Besides...

Who gave him the right to do such a thing? To chain her down so that she would be close at his reach? She certainly didn't give him the 'okay' to call her, his. Sakura merely tolerated and maybe even liked it, but she never agreed with it.

"But why?"

"He deserved it."

This time, her volatile emotions were starting to leak out of her heavily guarded vault. Slowly but surely, it was coming out.

The pinkette was always known for her quick temper, however she chose to reign in her anger for the sake of letting him explain. She knew that Itachi was never an impulsive man. He always listened to the voice of reason while she did the complete and polar opposite. She listened to her heart, where a fiery passion burned so brightly that everyone around her could see it plain as day.

"Why the hell would he deserve a beating from you?"

"Why would you easily assume that I physically hurt him?" He answered her question with one of his own.

Sakura honestly didn't have any solid proof that he would hurt his partner. Yet she could tell. In those red eyes, under moonlight and on the branches of the cherry blossom tree, he looked like the murderer his younger brother so readily claimed.

"I can see it in your eyes. You wanted to kill him." She grit out, hating the words that left her mouth.

At this he nodded slowly, taking small but measured steps towards the bed where she was currently sitting on.

"You are correct. I wanted to see him dead, by my hand and my hand alone."

She inwardly flinched at his tone, arctic and cruel, just like the rest of him.

"Then he's right, I should have never defended you."

There was curiosity shining in his gaze but she refused to look him in the eye any longer.

When she was busy watching the happy people enjoying the festival and sorely wished she was down there enjoying it as well, a gentle hand grasped her chin, moving it until her vision was nothing else but Itachi.

"Whom have you defended me from?"

"I wish I never did! It was a waste of my breath."

His fingers tightened on her jawline, but she would not allow her discomfort to show.

"Answer my question…now."

Although his voice was quiet, there was the menacing undertone that made her reply.

"Sasuke. He said you were a murderer and I-I….I never believed him until now."

Itachi was now less than a foot away from her perch on the edge of the bed, her kimono pooling around her form.

"Did you really hurt Sasori just because he touched me?"

He nodded once more.

The rage that had been steadily leaking out was now a rapid flow, coating her words in fury and ire.

The medic-nin stood up, powered by the negative emotions in her system, held her stance against the Uchiha.

"Then what happens when another man comes near me and accidentally brushes his skin with mine? Will you kill him as well?!"

When he opened his mouth to speak, she cut him off rather brutally.

"I can't believe _this _! I can't believe _you _! Why the hell would you make someone suffer like that? And just because he _touched_ me!"

She knew that she was getting hysterical but she was far from caring.

"Do you have any idea how cruel and idiotic that sounds?!"

"You are mine. It's within my power to-"

"No, you have absolutely no right to dictate who can and can't touch me!"

Her green eyes blazed as she glared at him, spitting green fire.

Itachi clenched his hands, fisting them so hard that they turned white.

As he reached out to touch her, she flinched away.

"No..."

"Sakura-"

"I do not and will never belong to a murderer." She muttered darkly, angry at herself for saying such hurtful words but...he hurt Sasori. It was a ruthless and mean thing to say, however Itachi needed to hear it.

The pinkette knew it was hypocritical to say that when she herself had killed before. Yet the situation was entirely different. Those men were evil and had done heinous crimes. And what did the red head do? Touch her? Did that deserve a beating?

No...

Her heart ached for the hazel eyed boy who had kissed her so fondly on the forehead.

Itachi actually winced at her words.

And as if that tiny bit of human emotion had poked a hole through glass, his whole uncaring and cold façade began to shatter.

Sakura could see that her words had hurt him greatly, and a bitter part of her was glad for that. He had hurt or maybe even killed Sasori, making her feel partly responsible for his injuries or death. And since he was made out of wood and metal joints not skin and bones, how could she possibly heal him?

The silence between them was deafening until he spoke. His voice was not as cold as before, in fact, it sounded almost…tender.

What the hell?

Suddenly, the great prodigy, the powerful and dark man that was Itachi Uchiha, dropped to his knees before her.

"Itachi?"

Sakura was confused, and partly afraid. Not knowing what to do in such a situation.

"You said that you could see the emotions hidden behind my eyes. Then take a look my dear, lovely Sakura."

The dark haired man, on his knees, placed both hands on either side of her hips. His pale hands clutched the fabric like a lifeline and pulled down.

Having no choice, unless she would rather have her kimono ripped, she bent her body at the waist. Bringing herself closer to those fathomless eyes.

"Look past all the murders I've committed and all the blood I've spilt my blossom."

The tenderness and warmth in his voice was more than evident now, startling Sakura so much that she was lost for words.

Just as she was about to rebuke him and tell him again that she did not belong to him, he opened his mouth and spoke, his words shocking her even more than before.

"I understand that it must be difficult for you to fathom why I call you mine…"

Her green eyes wide, he came closer, pressing the hard planes of his chest against her silk covered legs.

"It is because I feel that you belong to me, that you were made for me."

Itachi turned off his bloodline technique and brought one hand to rest at the nape of her neck.

"You balance the darkness within me, you alone can save me from my agony."

Inner had promptly had a nosebleed and passed out after hearing such intense and heartfelt words. Sakura on the other hand tried not to blush under his inky black gaze.

"Before, I thought you were nothing more than an annoyance yet...you've grown on me. You've changed me. You've made me _weak_ for you. Made me _care_ for you. Made me _feel_ for you."

Who would have thought an Uchiha, the strongest one of them all would be down on his knees, vulnerable, declaring such earnest affections.

"No Itachi, stop this. Stop saying such things and-dammit! Get off the damn floor!"

She had to bring an end to this. First Sasori, then Deidara and now Itachi? What was the whole shinobi world coming to? Not only did this whole night confuse her, it made her heart ache as well and also made her feel like a slut.

Was she?

Oh Kami She hoped not…

"Look My Sakura, look at me and only me."

Itachi's calm voice stilled her raging emotions and baffled thoughts.

Her green eyes tentatively met with his dark ones.

"What do you see?"

The hand on the nape of her neck squeezed encouragingly as she swallowed, nervous.

"I…I see…."

Suddenly, in that moment, everything came to a halt.

The people around her, the confetti falling and the laughter she heard were now so far, far away.

Right now, she was lost.

Lost in his black gaze, as dark as the night sky and just as clear.

"Do you see a murderer?"

"….no." She breathed.

"Then what do you see, love?"

Her heart palpitated at the endearment before looking in deeper, their noses almost touching.

"I see you." She was nervous, that much was clear.

His lips quirked up at her statement.

"Anything else?"

But before she could answer, he started talking, his breath mingling with hers.

"I'm not generous Sakura, and I don't feel guilt."

Her pink brows furrowed in uncertainty, unsure of where this was going.

"What do you mean? Why would you feel guilty?"

"I heard that fool's declaration for you. I know that he feels guilt for wanting someone who deserves better than a common criminal."

Sakura's eyes widened when she finally perceived that he was talking about Deidara.

"But I on the other hand, am selfish."

"Itachi…"

"I know you deserve better, yet I will not allow another man to take what is mine."

"Hey! I am not-"

Itachi's eyes glittered with amusement and adoration as he looked at her.

"But you are. You might not be aware of this, however the moment you healed me…."

His hand put a bit of pressure on her neck, bringing her closer to his face.

"…is the moment you became mine."

As Itachi crushed his lips against hers, the inn's door opened, revealing the rest of Akatsuki, their jaws on the floor and their mouths agape in shock.

More than one heart shattered at the sight of the pair kissing.

* * *

"Where is she?" He asked, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.

"Fifty or so miles from us." The red head of the group replied while pointing east, her eyes never leaving the lean form of the dark haired man before her.

"We leave now."

The rest of his team nodded, feeling slightly better thanks to Karin, who had let them all bite her and suck some of her life's energy. Of course, she allowed her 'future husband' to take a longer bite than the rest. Sufficed to say, Suigetsu got quite irritated by that fact. Juugo merely thanked her for her help.

"Just wait Sakura , I'll find you and I know he'll be there at your side." He hissed at no one in particular.

He slowly raised his head to stare up at the silvery moon, his red eyes glinting maliciously.

"Then I'll kill him, just like how he murdered my clan."

Juugo, Karin and Suigetsu almost trembled in fear of the pure hatred that rolled of their leader in terrifying waves.

"But I'll make him watch first. He'll watch the one person he cares for die at his own brother's hands." Sasuke growled, gritting his teeth so hard it made his teeth ache.

* * *

Hope you liked it! Woo! Three chappies in three days, I wonder how long I can keep this up. Anyways, lots of love and thanks to all my lovely readers and reviewers! You all rock XD 600?! Are you kidding me?! Oh and if you're wondering about the whole Karin letting them bite her, it's a power that she has in the anime. Till' next time! - VZ


	34. D e n i a l

**IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ : **Before you read this update, I suggest (especially for those who haven't read the revised and edited version of chapter 33) you read the previous chapter. it will really get you into the mood of this one. But you don't have to. It's just a suggestion. Oh, and thanks for reading this, if you did :)

**MOVING ON**...I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

Sakura wanted to say that she was forced to kiss him. Unfortunately, she couldn't lie to herself, no matter how much as she wanted to. Each affectionate word, and each intense emotion that raced through her body after hearing them, was taking her a step closer to the edge. An edge that she knew had no escape. A step closer to the black abyss that was dark, forbidden and endless, just like his eyes. Deep down, she knew that He had merely encouraged her, gently pulling her down by the neck to meet his lips with her own.

And that's why she felt extremely guilty. Here, she was, locking lips with the man who had most likely killed her friend just because he touched her.

Suddenly, the reminder of Sasori, beaten and broken for her sake, gave her the power to open her eyes. And then she brought up her hands, which were hanging limp at her sides, to push him away.

When he didn't budge, she commanded a sliver of chakra to her hands and pressed against him harder.

They parted, an expression of yearning on his face and a pained look on hers.

The pinkette ignored the soft and sensual lips that felt so unbelievably good against hers. She completely disregarded the pained look in those dark and vulnerable eyes. She didn't even take notice of the footsteps steadily fading away. Her senses were dulled with the guilt she felt and the anger that was running through her veins was the only thing encouraging her to stop this kiss. Paying no attention to the door which was still wide open with several Akatsuki members still frozen with shock, she stepped away from the Uchiha, a hard expression on her usually sweet face. Instead of the kindness and compassion she so desperately wanted to give, she couldn't. Not when he hurt someone. Yes, he did it for her. However that didn't make it right.

With her back to the wooden door, Sakura narrowed her green eyes on the man who was down on his knees.

It was a rather miserable sight.

A proud, handsome and strong man, exposing himself like this.

Yet she couldn't let her heart go out to him.

As much as she wanted to fall on her knees as well and engulf him in a tight, chakra-laden hug, she just couldn't.

Guilt and rage was weighing her down.

The medic-nin shook her head before speaking; her voice was coated with thinly veiled fury and the more she spoke, the louder her voice got.

"Don't you _dare_ do that again Itachi Uchiha. I swear that if you do, I'll knee you so hard and with so much chakra, you can say goodbye to the future of little baby Uchiha's!"

"I was only showing my affection for you, love."

He replied calmly, his eyes red once more.

Her eyes spat emerald fire at him, relentlessly hurling hurtful words until she felt all her rage abate.

"No, no, NO! I am not your love." She shook her head stubbornly as he slowly stood up. His gaze glued to the woman who was ranting and was unaware of their audience.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I am not!"

His hand reached out to caress her cheek but before he could even graze her skin, she stumbled back.

"No….I don't want you to touch me…" She stuttered pathetically, shaking her head. Making her pink locks fly everywhere.

"Sakura…" Itachi's voice was hoarse now.

"No….just….just don't." She bit her lips nervously, not liking the pain in her chest at the sight of his pleading face and outstretched hand.

"Sakura…you said that you did not see a murderer. Then why do you flee from my touch?"

Her heart felt like it was literally being ripped into two. One part of her intensely wanted to return Itachi's kiss. That part urged her to jump into his arms and accept his affections. To welcome all the fervent and impassioned words he had so reverently declared to her just moments before. It was almost physically painful to push him away when she wanted nothing more than to hold him close. Ye the other part of her felt so, so very guilty. It just didn't feel right to run into a man's arms when someone was hurt on her behalf. And the fact that the man she was about to run to, had committed the crime himself, made it all the more worse.

"I have no choice."

"Yes you do, my blossom. You always have. And you always chose me. Don't deny it. I know that what I feel for you is not one-sided. That's why I have become so attached to you. Because you have looked past my mistakes and darkness."

She took a step back.

"Stop it…." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"The moment you healed me…I felt like all my sins have been forgiven."

"Please…just don't."

Sakura inwardly begged that he would stop saying such beautiful, impassioned things. It made saying 'no' so much harder than it had to be.

Itachi didn't care if his fellow Akatsuki members were watching. He didn't give a fuck if Hidan was gaping or Kisame was grinding his teeth hard. He hardly took notice of that foolish boy when he ran out of the room, tears in his usually mischievous bright blue eye. But he did find some satisfaction at the sight of Sasori. Who was literally in pieces, being carried by all of the Akatsuki members. It was unfortunate that he couldn't kill him though. But nonetheless, he was happy that the boy was alive. Or at least, parts of him were. This way, he could see that the blossom really was his. The Uchiha just needed her to see it his way.

When she took yet another step away from him, he felt his heart wrench at the sight of her sad face.

Itachi wanted, _needed_ to convince her to stay.

And so, he decided to carry on with his declarations of his true feelings concerning the blossom.

The ones that he had kept hidden within his soul for no one else to see but her.

At this moment, he didn't have an audience.

At this very second, all he saw was his blossom, his savior.

"The moment you yelled at me….in that tiny hut…in the cold rain…..I felt like I was human."

Sakura choked and her hands clenched almost painfully.

"Not some killer...murderer...monster."

Her green eyes looked so lovely to him, even when they were filled with rage and sadness.

"And you were an angel who healed me…..who saved me from my suffering."

This time, She found her voice and replied. Although she was dismayed to hear herself sound so shaky.

"I had to…you were dying."

"No, you did it because you felt something for me." Itachi pressed, his black eyes looking at her with so much emotion it hurt.

"You took a damn kunai for me! Which had dozens of exploding tags attached to it! What the hell was I supposed to do?!"

Her voice raised in volume due to the frustration, confusion and anger she felt for the man before her.

"Let me die." Was his simple and calm answer.

It was silent after that, until he continued with a strong and slightly calmer voice.

"I was ready for it. To meet death and go into hell where I would see the rest of my clan."

Sakura was tempted to reassure him that he would not fall into the fires of hell but her pride and wrath prevented her from doing so.

"Yet….the pain faded away, and the icy grip that death had on me disappeared . Soon, I was fully recovered. Even my eyes that were slowly deteriorating were cured."

Her green eyes widened at that. She had no idea that she had even healed his eyes. All that she remembered from that night was yelling, the rain and pushing wave after wave of healing chakra into his system.

But then again, she didn't really concentrate her healing energy in one specific region or place in his body. Her tiny hands just healed whatever they could.

"All thanks to you, love."

"I am not-"

"You are."

"Shut up Itachi!"

"Not when you have to listen."

"I don't!"

"You do."

How the hell can the guy stay so calm?

"I am my own person, you cannot and will not dictate what I can and can't do."

Itachi tried once more to caress her cheek, or perhaps touch her hair. However she stepped away from him once more. Making his heart squeeze painfully.

"Please, do not run away from me. Not when you belong at my side."

Green eyes blazed with sadness and fury.

"How can you expect me to be near you, let alone be at your side when you just hurt my friend."

At this, Itachi's eyes hardened.

"That puppet wants so much more than just friendship from you."

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed.

"What? That can't be…"

Although she tried to counter his statement, she felt whatever he said was true. Sasori treated her differently than before, that much was obvious. But now that she thought about tonight's events, which were quite a lot, she noticed the way he acted so kindly towards her. And he did kiss her….even though it was just on the forehead…..

"It can't…"

"It is. You have bewitched the majority of Akatsuki without even realizing it."

Her head shook in denial as she clutched the fabric of her kimono.

"No…"

"Oh yes, you have."

"But how?..I didn't mean to-"

The dark haired man before her covered the distance between them with a few strides, determination evident in his red gaze.

"Do not think of them Sakura, only me. Just us. No one else."

This time, he was able to caress the skin of her cheek.

And her bleeding heart skipped a beat at the sight of a desperate Itachi. True he wasn't on his knees anymore and he was much more calmer than before, but still. There was the same air of anguish and wretchedness that surrounded him.

The thought itself made her eyes almost water with tears.

However she would not shed them.

Not for him.

As much as she wanted to, she couldn't.

Not until the guilty weight on her chest lifted.

It would hurt, both of them. Yet she had to find Sasori, it was the right thing to do.

"Let go Itachi."

"Sakura…."

Oh Kami!

His voice sounded so damn intimate when he murmured her name.

Something hot and wet fell from her eyes.

"Is this for me?…."

His thumb traced the wetness that trailed from her pink lashes to her chin.

Sakura nodded before biting her lip, unable to stop that one tear from shedding.

"Just leave me alone Itachi."

Before he could even open his mouth and protest, she added, with a tired and weary voice.

"Stay away from me until you apologize to Sasori."

The silence that followed was so tense and heavy that it hovered over them like a thundercloud.

And then he spoke.

"How are you so sure he's alive?"

"A little birdie told me that you couldn't kill a fellow Akatsuki member. Unless you would rather face the wrath of you leader's anger…would you?"

"…...I can make you stay…I am still your captor."

"….Then I'll never forgive you."

"Sakura…"

He sounded pained now, more so than ever before.

"Good bye Itachi."

And with that, she turned, only to see the door crowded with three other Akatsuki members, surprised expressions on their faces.

* * *

"Where could you possibly be doing right now Sakura-chan?" Tsunade wondered out loud, pouring herself yet another cup of sake.

The Hokage's office was quiet except for a few annoying passerby's that we're happily chatting.

"You better deliver that damn scroll or I'll make you do so many push-ups that it'll make Gai cry tears of joy." She muttered darkly, moving her hand holding the sake cup in a circle, swirling the liquid inside.

However, Her moment of peace and solitude was broken by two jounins who came into the room, sweat dribbling down their temples.

Too bad she was too drunk to even remember their names.

"Get the hell outta my office." The blonde slurred.

The two men glanced at each other nervously before facing the leader of their village with matching looks of apprehension on their faces.

"Hokage-sama….." One started but seemed too nervous to continue.

"That's me you idiot, now what were you saying?"

"Uh…."

Just as Tsunade was about to throw her jug of alcohol at the stuttering shinobi, the other one stepped in and spoke.

"We're sorry to interrupt you Hokage-sama, but.."

"Spit it out!"

"It seems Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba and Neji have disappeared."

Silence.

"Did you just say disappeared?"

"Y-yes Hokage-sama."

Sileeeeeeeence.

Then suddenly, a loud crack reverberated around the halls.

Both jounins trembled before the sight of Tsunade, whose hand was hovering over the spot where her desk had just split into two.

"W-will we consider them missing-nin Hokage-sama?" He asked, taking a fearful step back.

She huffed and muttered something about incompetent fools being easily scared by a woman when she raised her blonde head and spoke to them.

"No."

"No?"

"What? Have you gone deaf?"

Both men shook their heads vigorously.

"But Hokage-sama. If they have deflected from the village. It's protocol to assume-"

'CRACK'

She pulled her fist from the concrete wall and narrowed her amber eyes at them.

"I'm in charge here and there will be no shinobi from my village being labeled missing-nin."

The men nodded once more.

"Besides…."

An evil smirk appeared on her lips, thoroughly scaring the two males in the vicinity.

"I have a very good idea on why they left so suddenly."

Tsunade retrieved her sake cup from the ground where it had fallen and drank whatever drops of alcohol it had left inside.

"They just better make it back alive."

* * *

The pinkette promptly dropped her jaw at the sight of Sasori's upper torso and head were in Kisame's arms. And Hidan was carrying parts of his wooden body as well. The most shocking thing was the puppet master was alive. At least, she thought he was. His hazel eyes were blinking and still ever droopy. But that wasn't why she felt such relief seeing him, broken yet alive. It was the warmth in his gaze.

And that same crooked grin that made him look far younger and much more boyish.

"Sasori!"

"My doll."

She ignored the term of affection for now and ran towards him, which didn't take long since the room was so small.

"Are you alright?"

It was a rather idiotic thing to ask yet she couldn't help herself, or the joy that bubbled in her chest at the sight of him.

"You worried for me?"

He sounded almost confused, to this she vigorously nodded.

"Of course I did. I had no idea what Itachi…had done to you."

Just saying his name was hard. And a part of her yearned to turn her head and look back into those bottomless, dark eyes. However now they were red. Red as the blood in her veins and the anger she felt.

It wasn't as strong or as potent as before, yet it was still there.

"It's fine angel, he just needs to fix himself up back at the base." Kisame voiced out.

Sakura glanced at him and he gave her a strained smile. She could tell that something was wrong. Something that made the shark like grin on his face less…happy and vibrant. It seemed almost….fake. Like Sai's smiles.

But before she could look further into it and ask him what was wrong, he started talking.

"Hidan, go get blondie."

The silver haired nin grit his teeth, his purplish eyes never leaving the pinkette's form.

"Tch..no way in hell! I'm not going anywhere."

The mist-nin narrowed his eyes at him menacingly.

"Just do it."

"I said no! Why don't you ask the fucking Uchiha to handle it? Seriously?!"

Hidan's hand , the one that wasn't holding parts of Sasori's body, inched towards his blood red scythe.

"Cause' I have to deal with my partner." The larger man spat out the word 'partner' like it was some sort of curse.

Sakura, ever the innocent one and who also wanted to leave the tension filled room, raised her hand.

"I'll go find Dei, you guys….sort out Sasori."

And she did something that was totally and completely impulsive that she would later regret ever doing in front of the other Akatsuki members.

The only female in the room, leaned down and kissed Sasori on the forehead. It was brief and very chaste and she thought it was a sign of friendship. And maybe she was also high on the fact that he was alive and the guilt that weighed down on her chest, making it ache painfully, was instantly gone.

"I'm happy you aren't dead."

Itachi hated the red head more than ever before, a large part of him desperately wanted to call her his again. Yet the Uchiha knew that his declaration would do nothing but anger her, so he bit his tongue so hard that he could taste the metallic tang of blood fill his mouth. Anything to keep him from spouting more words to vex and push away the one person he had come to care for.

Kisame and Hidan watched the blossom leave, different expressions on their faces.

One was of longing and the other was confusion.

And so Sakura left the room in hopes of finding the blonde who had also confessed such intense and deep feelings for her earlier tonight.

Her hands went into her kimono and lifted it up, so that running around would be much easier.

As she ran around the inn and into the streets, her thoughts started to wander.

Had he seen the kiss between her and Itachi?

What would happen to him if he did?

Fear and anxiety started to build up in the pit of her belly.

She had to talk to Deidara, and it was something that she was really afraid to do.

* * *

Hidan was so fucking angry that he felt that even curse words didn't have enough vulgarity and rudeness to convey how fucking pissed he was.

No, he wasn't mad at the pinkette.

Well, at first he felt this odd pain in his left chest. Then it spread through out his entire body. But Pleasure didn't accompany this kind of pain. Hell no. This was emotional pain not the physical kind. And by Jashin, it fucking hurt!

As he watched that damn Uchiha plunder her sweet, innocent mouth, he felt something inside him….break.

It was worse than all the wounds he'd ever had in his whole immortal life.

And he couldn't do anything about it.

Sufficed to say, it was not an experience he'd want to repeat.

Soon, the pain fled and anger, pure, white-hot anger replaced it.

He was mad.

At her and him.

That is, until she had pushed him away.

Then he felt something good, so fucking amazing appear in his left chest.

For once in his damned life, he felt hope.

As sappy and retarded that sounded, it was true.

The second she said 'good bye' he knew that he still had a chance to win that bitch's heart.

And so, here they were. Four Akatsuki members stuck in the pathetic piece of crap inn, doing nothing but staring at each other.

Well, until he got tired of it and spoke.

"Oh to hell with it!"

Everyone looked at him immediately, even the brooding Uchiha glanced at his awesome self.

"Listen you fuckers and listen good."

He glared daggers at each and every one of them. Yes, even the wooden toy he held in his hand.

"I don't care if you fucking kissed her you damn Uchiha brat!"

Itachi started to return his glare.

"Ya know why?!"

Hidan didn't give two shits if he was being loud and hysterical.

He was high, high on the feeling called hope.

"Because that bitch…"

He pointed to the door Sakura had just left through.

"…will be mine."

Kisame, Itachi and Sasori exchanged glances. The kind of look that meant they understood each other with out words.

It was the look of fucking determination, the same expression plastered to his own face.

"I sure as hell ain't giving up on her. She's worth all the fucking effort I'm gonna put into making her fall in love with me."

He nodded, his purplish eyes blazing like the fires of hell.

"I won't give up either." Sasori's voice came up, small and calm yet so very sure.

He even had a smile (the hell?!) on his wooden face. It was crooked and tiny, however it was confident.

"Ah geez….what the hell is going on here?"

Kisame murmured to no one in particular while Itachi actually smirked (Holy shit?!) at him.

"This will be interesting."

"Hell yeah it will."

"Be prepared to lose then." The Uchiha muttered darkly, daring him to reply.

And of course, Hidan being Hidan, he did.

"Just watch Uchiha, I'll be the winner of this battle."

He raised a dark eyebrow at the silver haired nin in dark amusement.

"The battle doesn't matter…"

His red eyes glinted maliciously at the three of them.

"…It's the war that counts, and I plan to dominate it."

And with that, he disappeared.

* * *

Oh Lord, 40 reviews?! You guys gave me 40 reviews?! I'm so damn happy that I'm literally jumping with joy! Do have any idea how amazing you all are?! And I'm very grateful for those who gave me looooong reviews. Not that I don't like short ones, i just like to read :D And I'm sorry if this chappie is shorter than the rest but I wanted to end it that way. Anyways, a big Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers and readers XD I hope that I'll get even more reviews this time. (not to be greedy or anything) Till' next time! - VZ


	35. B u r n

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

Sakura had no idea where it went wrong. The night seemed so full of excitement and joy that she didn't even think of the possibility that anything could go awry. And now here she was, under the still glowing lights and glittering stars, searching for a certain artist who had gone missing just moments before.

Questions and worries swirled in her head, making a frown mar her lovely face.

Had he seen the kiss that she had shared with Itachi? If so, was that the reason he had fled?

Her pink brows furrowed as she weaved through the crowds relentlessly, her eyes scanning the area for a familiar blonde head.

The pinkette rushed around like a madwoman, brushing by people and stepping on a few toes in the process. Maybe even knocking over some chairs or stands here and there.

However she couldn't find it in her heart to care, not at the moment anyway.

No, she was much too busy worrying for Deidara.

Deidara…

Just thinking his name made her spine tingle and her toes curl.

As beautiful and intense Itachi's words were, Deidara's confession had also struck a chord within her.

But then again, it could just be guilt.

Did she feel the same way for him? Did she even feel anything for him?

Before she could answer her own questions, something scurried over her foot.

She instantly caught it with her deft hands and incredible speed.

Slowly, she released the fist her hand was in, revealing the last thing she expected, but was relieved to see.

In her palm, was a white, clay spider.

Although, it looked different.

Her green eyes inspected it further, only to confirm her earlier suspicions.

The spider's head was lopsided and it only had five working legs. She noticed that two of them were crooked and one was even slightly squished.

Confusion filled her instantly.

Only one person could have made this, but the medic-nin knew something had to be wrong.

There was no way that Deidara, a master of his art, could create such a poor thing.

Sakura bit her lip anxiously, something she did whenever she was nervous, a habit she had acquired around the members of Akatsuki.

She quickly scrutinized the ground in hopes of finding more clay creations that might lead her to the man she desperately needed to speak to.

Five minutes later, and a handful of misshapen spiders, she found herself on a rooftop of the highest building in the quaint little village.

The dark sky stretched above her, the silvery stars still shining beautifully.

And on that dusty old rooftop, overlooking the entire festival, which was still in full swing, was Deidara. Who was hunched, sitting on the ledge of the building, his shoulders slouched.

If Sakura was frightened before, she was terrified now.

Everything about the man before her seemed dull and depressed. Even the air around him appeared daunting. Nevertheless, she forged ahead.

Once Sakura was barely a few feet away, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Dei?"

He showed no reaction that signified him hearing her.

So she tried again, this time louder.

"Dei."

Nothing.

"Dei."

Still nothing.

"Are you okay?"

The man before her didn't bother turning around, but he sighed before replying.

"….leave me alone."

Okay, now she was sure that he was angry with her.

"Listen, I just wanted to-"

"What? Reject me? I've seen enough of you and that Uchiha. Forget about everything I said to you? Then don't bother, it's already forgotten."

The biting tone of his voice made her wince inwardly.

"Just hear me out Dei-"

"No…don't call me that."

Uncertainty coated her voice, which was getting weaker.

Never before had she seen this side of the blonde. She didn't even think about the possibility that he might have this side, an angry and cold part. It was the polar opposite of his usual cocky, devil-may care and exuberant personality. Sufficed to say, she missed that Deidara.

"It's your name isn't it?"

He grasped the ledge of the rooftop so hard that she was afraid it would splinter under his grip.

"Obviously."

"Then why?.."

"I don't want you calling me 'Dei' or 'Deidara-kun' anymore…not when you belong to him."

Sakura huffed and crossed her arms, her green eyes hardening.

"I do not belong to him."

At this he laughed.

It was a cold and harsh kind of laughter that chilled her to the bone.

"Right, sure you don't." Sarcasm dripped from his voice, making her bite her lip once more.

"He made his affections for you pretty clear Haruno-san."

The pinkette felt shock at hearing not only his words or the way he addressed her so formally, but the way he said it. As if they were complete and utter strangers. Suddenly, it felt like there was a gap between them. A breach that steadily grew bigger and bigger until it was a gaping trench that was as deep as it was long. Making her feel miles apart from someone she had grown close to. From someone she had come to care for. But then again, was it just mere friendship she felt for the blonde? Or did it go deeper? Deeper like the hole in her chest every time he spoke so coldly to her.

"Stop it, why the hell are you acting like this? What happened to 'Sakura-chan'? And what happened to my friend who used to be nice to me?"

The questions that left her lips like water flowing from a dam were loud and clear, demanding an answer from the man slouching before her.

"Friend huh?..." From where she could stand, she could see him shake his head and tremble slightly.

"You owe me an explanation." Sakura prompted.

"No…I don't owe you anything."

And with that, Deidara abruptly stands on the ledge, his feet balancing his weight perfectly.

As he shoved both his hands into his clay pouch, he still wasn't facing her, not even when the mouths on his palms started chewing and spitting out yet another clay creation.

Sakura watched with a heavy heart while he worked.

She didn't know what to say.

A part of her really, desperately wanted to push him some more for answers. Yet the way he replied. It sounded like he was so tired, so lost and weary. Like the way several patients in her village sounded when they knew they were going to die. That they knew it was absolutely pointless and that it was useless to even try fighting anymore. It was the voice of someone who had lost all hope. It was an unpleasant sound that grated your heart and made your eyes water.

"Goddammit!"

The loud cuss ripped her brutally from her inner musings and brought her back to reality. Where Deidara was glaring daggers at his signature white bird. Big enough to ride on, the same design of the one she had ridden earlier tonight.

Except it was different. Its head was drooping to the left side pathetically and one wing was in a rather odd looking angle. She doubted it could even fly.

"I can't even make anything anymore!"

Anguish swirled around him forebodingly. Her green eyes glanced at the white breature who tried flapping its wings, however it failed rather miserably.

"I hate it."

Her attention was instantly on the blonde who had spoken so quietly that her ears strained to hear it.

"De-" Sakura stopped herself; afraid of how he would react if she said the wrong thing.

"I fucking hate it!"

He was cursing now, which was never a good sign.

"I hate how much it hurts."

The pinkette could only watch as his tanned arm came up to his left chest where his hand clawed at his shirt. Much like how a drowning man would clutch a lifeline.

"Do you have any idea what it feels like to have your heart ripped out of your chest?"

His voice was still bitter and angry, a dangerous combination that made her heart ache.

"Or to have it break into so many pieces you couldn't even count them?"

Deidara was facing the ground, where they were many children playing with toys and couples pointing at the sky and watching the stars shine.

An awkward and tense silence followed, one that she wanted to break yet his rigid form made her hesitate.

"I wish I never met you."

If words were knives or weapons, then his had just stabbed a hole right through her chest.

"Please…stop this…"

No, He was relentless and he kept going. Each word sent a dagger hurtling straight into her bleeding heart.

"I wish I never saw those damn eyes of yours."

Sakura held her trembling form, in hopes of warding off the pure hate and frigid cold that radiated from his words. The more he spoke, the harsher and louder his voice got.

It scared her. Not because of his attitude towards her now, but because she might not ever be able to see that warm and arrogant smile of his again.

"I wish you never wore my shirt."

She remembered that piece of fabric. It was quite long on her tiny ten-year-old body but in fit perfectly on her real form.

Her lower lip started trembling, it might have looked weak yet she didn't care.

She just….never seen or heard…such raw and intense emotions before.

"I wish you didn't have to light the room with that beautiful smile of yours."

She wasn't sure if he was complementing or insulting her. Either way, the acid in his voice still hurt painfully.

"I wish you weren't so damn perfect." Deidara growled at her, his nails piercing the fabric and now grazing his flesh.

At this she spoke.

"I'm not-"

"You are…..to me anyways, But what does it matter?" He gave a bittersweet laugh.

"I-"

The medic-nin took a tentative step forward as he hesitated. She reached out and tried to touch the hand that was digging into his shirt quite deeply.

Not only did it look nasty and red, but also blood was beading already. Reminding her when he had bit right through the skin of his lips. The way the red blood seeped over the cracked skin, made her eyes water.

Just as she was about to brush against his skin, he immediately vanished.

Reappearing a few yards away from her, on the other side of the rooftop. And still, he didn't show his face to her.

"Don't touch me….not when you've touched him…it just…"

Itachi, he was talking about him.

Of course he'd be hurt.

Deidara had just claimed having deep affections and feelings for her and Itachi had swooped down and taken her, kissed her, marked her as his.

Never before had she felt such resentment for anyone. Sasuke was an exception to that rule though.

It seemed like both Uchiha brothers were ruining her life. Just with different methods, and she wasn't sure which one was worse.

When he spoke, it didn't have any more anger. Maybe that's what made her worry even more. This time, there was no emotion. It just sounded so….hopeless and weary.

"And finally….I wish….I-…"

He choked, taking a few breaths before looking at her.

What she saw would remain forever imprinted in her memories.

His one visible eye, blue as ever was bloodshot. His cheeks were flushed and his mouth was tilted in a sad, watery smile.

No, it wasn't his handsome features that got her attention; it was the raw emotion she saw in that one blue eye. Which was no longer as bright as the blue sky on a hot summer's day. Instead, it was dark. Much like how the depths of the ocean would appear.

And what she heard would always stay within her heart and soul.

"I wish I never fell in love with you Sakura-chan."

* * *

"Try harder! Aren't you the best tracker in our entire village?!"

Many people watched with some interest as a loud blonde, blue eyes boy, yelled at his friend.

Who had red fang like tattoos on both his cheeks and wild brown hair.

The two other boys on the other hand were just as eye catching as the first pair.

But most people didn't dwell on their looks, as handsome as they were, the majority of their attention was focused on the huge canine accompanying the boys.

"I am! But don't blame me if I can't find her as quick! It's just a bit harder cause' of all the different scents and smells in the area!" Kiba replied loudly, gesturing to their surroundings full of food stands, people and bars.

"You're useless!"

"What?!"

"You heard me dog boy!"

"C'mere and let me teach you a lesson, kit!"

Just as the boys were about to pummel the life out of each other, two calm and levelheaded voices halted them.

"Naruto." Shikamaru yawned.

"Kiba." Neji stated, glaring at the both boy's fists, which were an inch away from their counter part's faces.

"Stop it Naruto, you're just tired and worried for Sakura-chan. Nothing's wrong with that. Distracting the tracker however, is another matter entirely." The Nara heir went on, looking around for a chair he could sit on.

"Kiba, Ignore him. Just find her." Neji muttered before crossing his arms, appearing like the perfect image of a Hyuuga clan member.

"You got it." He barked with a two-fingered salute, closing his eyes and sniffing the air around them.

"I have a better idea…"

The four boys froze, instantly turning their attention towards the cloaked man standing regally in the middle of a dark alleyway in between two buildings to their left.

"How about you do as I say?"

Naruto raised a blonde eyebrow.

"Why the hell would we do that? Besides, we don't even know you."

The stranger brought up a hand and slowly unbuttoned his cloak.

Unfortunately, they couldn't see its color due to the shadows in the alley.

"Don't you?"

As the sinister figure removed his hat, revealing a head of familiar black hair, he opened his eyes.

Which were red as the blood flowing through his veins.

"Miss me dobe?"

They were all shocked, but nobody could rival the look of surprise on the demon container's face.

"S-sasuke?"

* * *

A tear fell from that one blue eye, and it split her heart into two.

Her left chest throbbed, the pain spreading and making her form almost tremble from the emotional pain.

As Deidara attempted to make another clay bird yet again, she suddenly had an epiphany.

This pain was now familiar. She had felt it a total of four times tonight.

First with Sasori, when he had kissed her so chastely, so fondly on the forehead. Second was with Deidara, when he had confessed such deep feelings for her under the stars. The third time was with Itachi, in that old inn next to the tiny bed, when he had exposed himself, bared his true and intense emotions for her. Something she didn't expect form the usually stoic and cold man. At lastly, with the rest of Akatsuki. As they crowded around the doorframe, she felt shock stab her repeatedly in the left chest.

They had watched and heard her rather heated argument with the Uchiha.

Not only was it embarrassing, it was surprising as well.

But why did she feel so guilty?

It hit her just then, much like lightning.

It finally made sense why whenever these wonderful men would confess to her, her heart always felt like it was being ripped in half. It's because it was.

However not just into two halves. Instead it's pieces, several of them, which now belonged to Akatsuki.

That must be why it hurt so damn much.

Why it literally pained her to hear such fervent and heartfelt words from them.

Why she felt guilty for feeling something for them when they confessed to her, because she felt something for all of them.

The realization that she was not only attached to them but also cared quite deeply as well, hit her hard.

She, Sakura Haruno, was strongly infatuated with members of the most feared criminal organization in the entire shinobi world.

Oh Kami help her.

The sounds of flapping pulled her from drowning into her thoughts. Only to gasp in surprise at the sight of Deidara climbing onto his clay creation, which was not crooked or oddly shaped at all.

Shock had forced her to move, lest she lose the man who she now realized that she cared for, not just platonically.

"No! Dei stop!"

The great white bird was taking flight, its huge wings gracefully slicing the air.

"Please!...Don't leave!"

She was sounding desperate now but she was far from caring.

The blonde looked at her, a sad expression on his face.

"Why? I have no reason to stay."

The bird hovered around her, its beak slightly parted.

"But what about Akatsuki? Pein will kill you."

Or at least, that's what she assumed he'd do. Sakura presumed that Akatsuki was just like any other community in the ninja society. And if you ever chose to deflect from your organization or village, it was only safe to assume that you're against them. Sufficed to say nobody, even her own village, didn't like having enemies. Especially when they might have precious information that could very well lead to your downfall.

"So?..."

"So?! Do you want to die?!" She repeated incrediously, her green eyes wide.

"I don't care if He'll kill me…not when I died already."

Tears gathered in her eyes but she refused to let them trail down her face.

"Shut up Dei, you're being irrational."

"No I'm serious, why should I bother staying when there's nothing here waiting for me?"

The pinkette furrowed her eyebrows and clenched her hands, hesitating.

When he didn't receive a reply, the bird went higher.

"Dei…please!" Her voice was hoarse and raspy, betraying how desperate and hurt she was right now.

At this, the large mass of white clay didn't stop flying up, but the blonde man riding it came down, much to her relief.

Just as she was about to reach out to him, he took a step back.

Although he still retracted from her touch, at least he didn't vanish like before.

This thought alone gave her hope.

"Don't touch me…not unless you want me the same way I want you."

Her hand froze in mid-air.

"I already feel guilty and bad. Why not add selfishness into the list?" He shrugged, his lone blue eye still shining with such deep emotion.

Deidara's hand reached out, about to brush the skin of her cheek, when he also froze.

"I still wish I didn't love you."

Sakura remained silent, stunned by his calm demeanor.

The tanned hand still hovered in mid-air, an inch away from her cheekbone. The lips on his palm puckered, as if it wanted to kiss her there.

"That way, rejection, this agony, wouldn't be so damn painful."

He frowned, the lips on his hand following suit.

Once again, his hand clutches his left chest, clawing at it till blood was seeping out.

The medic-nin wanted nothing more than to heal him, to erase evidences of his pain and hurt. Yet she knew that all she could fix was his physical suffering not the emotional ones.

Seeing him hurt himself, cause torment to himself, made her realize that his pain was hers.

That all their pain was hers to bear as well.

It explained why she couldn't let Itachi die in that tiny hut.

Why she couldn't feel anything but guilt with the thought of Sasori hurt, especially for her sake.

Although, it wasn't guilt, it was affection.

"Stop."

Deidara glanced at her then to the wound steadily growing larger and deeper on his chest.

"No."

"Why not? Please Dei, you're hurting yourself."

"Oh now you care? Just leave me alone."

It seemed like everything she said only caused him more pain, which was the last thing she wanted for him.

"I won't."

"Just…leave."

"Have you gone deaf? I said no!"

Her anger was building, frustrated at the pure stubbornness of the man before her.

"Do me a favor yeah? Have a good life with the Uchiha, I hope he makes you happy."

That was _it_.

Her patience, her anger, her aching heart, just couldn't take it anymore.

Sakura had kept silent, listened and tried to understand each and everyone of these confusing men, but enough was enough.

She snapped, letting lose all the pent up rage and frustration she felt the entire night.

Yes, she had given a generous amount to the Uchiha, yet it was a far cry from the whole storage of bottled up emotions she kept inside her.

"Like hell he will!"

The pinkette felt bitter satisfaction at his surprised reaction; rise of eyebrows and slightly parted mouth.

It might have been insensitive to let out all her emotions like this but there was no stopping it now.

"That pompous man would keep me on a leash for the rest of my life! He thinks I belong to him as if I was some sort of object, a prize to be won. I hated that. And how can I stand to be near a man, let alone kiss him when he treats me like that?! That's why I pushed him away! Because I felt so damn guilty that it made my heart rip into pieces!"

As she ranted Sakura, failed to notice the difference in Deidara.

The expression of sadness left the moment she said 'I pushed him away'.

And like a certain foul-mouthed jashin worshipper, a good feeling appeared in his chest.

It bubbled up inside him until it was practically begging to be released.

He could feel it. And it was like salve to the wound that rejection had inflicted on him.

No, his senses and awareness of his surroundings were no longer dulled by his depression. Now he was sharper and stronger, and now, more hopeful.

"You're not the only one here who's hurting okay?" As mortifying as it was, her voice cracked as she spoke.

Now that he noticed it, Sakura did look sad.

And so, Deidara looked, _really_ looked.

What he saw made him feel ten times guiltier than he did earlier this evening.

Her lovely green eyes were watery and the skin surrounding it were puffy. Her nose was red and her lower lip was swollen as well.

How the hell had he not noticed she close to tears?

"And You know what?! I wish that I never met you either! I wish you didn't have to be so freaking charming and sweet. I wish you were rude and didn't act like a damn gentleman, which was so damn adorable of you…..also…..I….I wish you weren't so committed to your art like how I am with my healing….I just- I just don't want this to ache anymore."

The pinkette's voice started out loud and clear, filled with so much emotion. Then it got weaker, softer as she raised a trembling hand to her left chest. Just like him earlier.

He was wrong.

Rejection didn't come close to this kind of hurt.

Now Deidara knew why love was called a curse and a blessing.

Because when you see the one person you care for cry or hurt, it's like seeing yourself cry or get hurt. It's like experiencing the same thing twice as bad, and you didn't care if it pained you. As long as you found a way to stop your significant other from crying, and that's exactly what he wanted to do right now.

Sakura turned on her heel abruptly and walked to the door with a latch that led to the stairs that would bring her farther away from him.

"I'm sorry Deidara. I'm sorry I caused you so much pain."

But before she could open that wooden door and walk out from his life forever, he spoke. Hoping that she would listen to whatever he had to say.

"Do you feel anything for me?"

A part of her wanted to scream out 'yes!' at the top of her already tired lungs. Yet she was still confused on whom she felt had the largest piece of her heart, and she didn't want to lead him on. She didn't want to rub salt into that still hurting wound that was his broken heart.

Sakura was still so very conflicted and confused...

"…no." She whispered.

The blonde behind her shook his head in denial.

"You're lying to me."

Her hand grasped the knob hard, bending the metal.

"I'm not."

"Oh really? So you've never felt a thing for me?"

"…just friendship…"

"Liar."

He was back.

Sakura could hear it in his voice. Something changed within him, for he sounded just like his old self. Cocky, self-assured and daring.

"Even when I gave you my shirt?"

"Nope."

She was glad that her back was to him, this way; he couldn't see the tears threatening to fall.

"Or when I made you a butterfly and almost kissed you?"

"Nothing." Her voice broke at the second syllable.

She could hear his footsteps getting louder and louder, which meant he was getting closer.

"How about when I made Kumiko for you?"

Sakura wasn't sure of her voice anymore so she shook her head vigorously, ashamed of her weakness.

"Not even when I confessed to you?"

Suddenly, there was a weight pressed against her back and she knew that it was his chest.

Again she shook her head, trying her hardest to ignore his touch.

"What about now?...still nothing?"

Her breathing was heavy thanks to the heat radiating off his chest and into her skin.

His voice dropped low, husky and so damn sweet that it made her teeth ache.

Sakura braced herself and glanced at him, turning her head to the side to address him.

"It's pointless you know."

Deidara's lone blue eye met with her green ones, blazing with determination.

"No, I don't."

A hand deftly slipped in between the folds of her kimono, above the obi sash and into her dress.

Just before she was about to scream 'Rape!' he bit her softly, nibbling at the shell of her ear.

"You're such a bad liar Sakura-chan...I can feel your heart pounding...I can hear it beating for me..."

The suspicions of him groping her flew out the window and into the garbage when his palm didn't venture farther than the outer layers of her chest bindings.

His appendage settled itself right over her left chest, her heart.

Which was palpitating madly, beating so hard that she wouldn't be surprised if it crashed straight through her ribs and into his warm hand.

"Anything?"

Deidara licked, sucked and kissed the skin under her ear, where it was most sensitive.

How the hell had their argument turned into a heated confession? She'd never know.

But right now, Sakura didn't care.

"Stop it Dei."

Even to her ears it sounded breathy and pleasured, which brought a hot blush to her pale cheeks.

She really was a slut wasn't she?!

**Shut up and enjoy this!** Inner squealed before mewling rather wantonly.

And as much as she wanted to follow her other self's advice, she couldn't.

Not when she felt so damn conflicted.

What made it worse, was when he turned her entire body around and crushed her body to the wooden door, which was now behind her.

"Dei-"

He shut her up instantly, and quite efficiently, with the use of his lips.

If kissing two men in one night, and four in the span of a couple months wasn't a slut, then what was one?

However she didn't have time to ponder on it, right now, every thought, word and feeling was composed and caused by Deidara.

No, he didn't plunder her mouth like Itachi. Or kiss her chastely much like how Sasori had done it. And the odd thing was, it was the total opposite of how she imagined locking lips with him would be like.

As embarrassing as it was, she did wonder how the volatile bomber kissed.

Sakura assumed that he would do it like how he did his art.

Loud, explosive and violent.

This was everything but.

The man molded his lips against her own, pressing his body sensually to hers. If she had to describe this kiss, She would compare it to a fire. Smoldering, hot and vehement.

In all the kisses she'd experienced so far, she'd never really participated. Well, there was the one with Kisame, but it wasn't like this.

This….this was like burning. She was being heated to her very core with every brush of his lips, the hands buried within her short hair and the tight grip he had on her hips. It was maddening in the most delicious way possible.

Soon, she started responding, matching his vigor with her enthusiasm, and most probably in the near future, she would blush and deny ever acting so wantonly.

Yet she was.

Sakura reached up and tangled her fingers with his long blonde hair, her other hand was much bolder, exploring every muscle and line he had on his upper body, she almost moaned at the feel of his sinewy form into his mouth.

Deidara groaned before pushing her away slightly, only to nuzzle her neck affectionately.

"I've made up my mind."

"Huh?..." The medic-nin was still dazed with the scorching kiss they had just shared.

The artist chuckled and repeated what he had previously said with patience, a sanguine expression on his face.

"..about what?"

"You. I've changed my mind about you."

His tone was bordering on reverent as he spoke.

"I'm not following.."

Deidara shrugged cutely, and then continued his nuzzling.

"I was planning to forget about you, since I saw you with the Uchiha, I assumed the worst. But then you proved me wrong."

Sakura furrowed her brows but said nothing.

"A person who claims to feel nothing can't kiss like that."

Was she _that_ bad?

It was like he could read her mind because he chuckled once more, shaking his blonde head.

"I meant it in a good way. You kissed me with so much heat and passion that I'm surprised I'm not burning over here yeah."

So her analogy with the fire was accurate.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

Sakura looked up to see the brightest shade of blue in her life, giving her chills, the good kind.

However, she couldn't return that smile due to the weight in her belly.

"Dei, I don't feel good."

"What? Are you sic-"

"No, I mean….I feel…dirty."

"Alright, now I'm not following." The hand that was buried in her pink locks, brushed away strands of hair on her face.

"I feel…like a slut."

At this, he widened his eyes.

There was a huge question mark on his face so she decided to expound her words.

"I kissed so many men Dei-"

He cut her off, a stern expression on his tanned face.

"Sakura-chan…they kissed you."

"There's no difference."

"Yes, there is."

She sighed, figuring that she wouldn't be able to win this argument. Not that she wanted to anyway.

"Don't worry about it though, you know why yeah?"

Sakura leaned against the wooden door; tired with the rollercoaster ride of emotions she had ridden tonight.

"Enlighten me."

"Glad to." He murmured, tilting her chin upwards.

They were so close that their noses brushed and all she saw was his handsome, glowing and hopeful face.

"It doesn't matter how many kisses you've had, or that I wasn't your first….but I plan to be your last."

* * *

Hope you liked it :) I made it extra long for Deisaku lovers out there. Oh, lots of love and thanks to all my faithful reviewers and readers! You guys ROCK! Till' next time :D - VZ


	36. I n n o c e n c e

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

Sakura initially thought that things would be awkward between the two of them. Yet it seemed like Deidara wasn't doing anything other than treating her with care and gentleness. The moment he stopped caressing her lips with his, he had spoken such deep and heartfelt words to her. And with such an open and hopeful expression on his tanned face. It struck a deep chord within her. What he said was a promise, words that she would never forget. As sappy and romantic that sounded, it was true. The way he phrased it, was as if he didn't care. That He wasn't concerned with her past kisses. And all that really and truly mattered to him was that he would be her last.

And now here they were, walking down the streets together like there was no problem at all. What made things even better was that he didn't bother claiming her as his. Or that she belonged to him. No, he was as sweet and gentlemanly as they come. Deidara, resident bomber of the infamous group commonly known as Akatsuki, was giving her space and time to think about what had happened recently. And the best part was that he wouldn't rush her to label what they had. He was basically saying that he would wait for her, simply be there for her.

What more could a girl ask for?

Yet…she was still very confused and conflicted.

It wasn't like Sakura wanted to string their hearts along on a chord for the sheer sake of her amusement.

Hell no.

Up until recently, she hadn't really thought of their advances as other than forms of entertainment and lust.

Boy was she wrong.

Never before in her wildest dreams that the members of the most feared group of criminals would actually fancy her. It was such an insane notion. Those strong, powerful and attractive men would take a liking to boring, short and flat-chested Sakura Haruno.

"Such a lovely couple." A happy voice cooed, effectively bringing the pinkette out of her inner musings.

"Oh hush now dear, don't embarrass the young-uns." Another voice added, it was gravelly and sounded very amused.

Green eyes finally noticed the people sitting on an old red bench, a man with a woman, old, smiling and holding hands. Matching looks of mirth were pasted on their weathered faces.

"Of course not! But honey look, such oddly colored hair."

The medic-nin inwardly rolled her eyes, already used to people pointing out her pink hair.

"And wonderful eyes, like emeralds."

A flush made its way to her cheeks, painting them a rather appealing shade of pink.

"Bashful too, not like those girls who flaunt their beauty so flamboyantly. I think she's a keeper!"

To her surprise, Deidara spoke; his voice was tender and soft. Intimate like their kiss earlier this evening.

"I know she is. Nobody is going to steal her away from me yeah."

If the old couple were cheerful before, they were absolutely bouncing with joy at this point. Well, the woman was, the man on the other hand was slightly more reserved. Smiling widely instead of jumping up and down in joy.

"Oh my…I've seen that look before."

"What look?" She interjected, glancing at the woman on the bench, cupping the wrinkled cheek of her partner. She winked at Sakura, as if they were sharing a trade secret.

"It's the look of a man in love."

Instantly, she could feel eyes gazing at her, burning with intensity so hot that it rivaled the heat of the sun.

"R-really?"

Inner slapped herself for acting so damn timid. However she justified it was because she had no idea what to do or even think when faced with affairs concerning love or infatuation. When it came to battles, surgeries or healing wounds, she knew exactly what to do. It was instinct to her. Love and lust though, was a different matter entirely.

"Why yes! It's the look on a man gives his woman. When he sees nothing but her."

Sakura hesitantly looked at the blonde, who was gazing at her adoringly that it made butterflies erupt in her belly.

"You've got it wrong woman." The old man said, hilarity dancing in his eyes.

"Have I?" She replies fondly while he nods.

This time, the man gives his attention to Deidara, as if they were the ones sharing a secret.

"A man in love doesn't just look at his woman a certain way, he has a look reserved just for her."

"Honey, maybe we are embarrassing them." She gave a pointed look to Sakura's almost red cheeks.

Thankfully, the artist saved her from possible mortification on her part. He grazed her cheek with his hand, which was partly closed in a loose fist. Most likely so that he wouldn't alert or frighten the civilians with the extra mouths on other parts of his anatomy.

"No, it's alright. I like her blushing, it suits her yeah."

"How adorable."

She didn't bother looking at the old lady and her husband. No, she was too busy staring at the bright eyes that reflected so much hope and happiness that it made her want to do nothing else but stare into them for the rest of eternity.

How can a man so thoroughly immersed in crime and blood be so caring and kind?

"Hun, you better mark him as yours." The old woman warned, her eyes narrowing.

"What?!"

The blush on her cheeks darkened.

"She's right, there are some girls staring at your man like how a starving lion would eye a piece of meat."

Sakura scanned the area and sure enough, there were women ogling Deidara.

Not that she'd blame them. He did look quite dashing tonight.

His blonde hair pulled up in his signature ponytail with one long bang covering his scope. His tanned face was devilishly handsome and the air he radiated was wild and feral. What sane woman wouldn't want to be around a tall, handsome man?

"Mark him? How in the world would I do that?"

"Why by kissing him of course! Is there any other way of showing your affection to your man?"

"I know a few." Her husband said, his grey eyebrows waggling suggestively.

The blush intensified.

"Oh dear, your woman looks like a tomato now boy." The old man commented, smirking at the blonde.

"A cute tomato yeah." He supplied, to which the man laughed and muttered 'good save'.

Sakura found a bit of confidence and a smidge of indignation when she heard the man mutter something about 'your woman'. Reminding her of a certain dark haired man who was overly fond of calling her his.

"I'm not his woman, I don't belong to him." She shook her head firmly, missing the smiles that the men and one woman shared.

"Don't you like this fine young man?"

"Well…" Her voice was tentative, but when her eyes met with his, it strengthened.

"Of course I do." She replied to the woman, who now had a grin on her creased face.

"Then it's quite obvious."

There must have been a question mark on her face because her husband continued.

"When you feel something for someone, there's somewhat…of a connection between you two. Once that's done and the feelings get deeper…Let's say it's like give and take."

Sakura remembered that saying quite vividly.

"You give your heart and you take his. That's why I said you're his woman. And remember this girl…"

He leaned towards her and she did the same, curiosity gleaming in her expressive green eyes.

"Whenever a man calls you his or says you belong to him, it means he gave you his heart."

Her pink brows furrowed so he rolled his eyes and expounded further.

"When you give something important to someone else, it's only natural you would want to keep it close ne?"

* * *

The pinkette was currently on the bed with Sasori and Kumiko. Since his body was basically torn apart, he was just an upper torso with his head attached to it. Of course there were his other body parts strewn across the room. One example was his arm. An arm that she was now using to play with her clay kitten.

As odd as it sounded, it was actually a fun way to pass the time in the boring old inn. The red head watched with amusement as she held the wooden appendage at its end and held it right over Kumiko's white little head. She tried jumping on her hind legs, her paws outstretched with tiny claws glinting in the light, fully intent on scratching his arm. Sadly, she was no match for Sakura's height or speed. At some point, the little kitten gave up and went over to Sasori. Kumiko meowed cutely before placing her tiny paw over his wooden cheek. Sakura soon realized that this was her sign if affection, pawing the face. She smiled when the kitty licked him, nuzzling him briefly before going back into her arms.

Though she was having fun, her mid kept wandering back to what the old couple had said, about hearts, give and take and so much more. The strange thing was, she was now thinking about Itachi.

On how he treated her, so possessively that it made her feel so caged and claustrophobic.

However, she would also be lying if she said that she felt absolutely nothing but negative feelings when around the Uchiha.

There was curiosity, an extent of affection and maybe even some comfort.

Sakura did feel something for him, especially when he had confessed to her, on his knees, exposing himself like never before.

She sighed, grabbing the attention of a certain puppeteer.

"Something troubles you." It wasn't a question; it was fact, one that he was stating with a mild frown.

"Hmm….You could say that." Sakura replied, not wanting to talk about her conflicted thoughts about Itachi.

"I just did." Confusion filled his tone and features.

It was cute.

And so, she shook her head fondly and chuckled, finding Sasori endearing at the moment.

Suddenly, shouting filled the room when Kisame, Hidan and Deidara entered the vicinity, shutting the door behind them with a loud slam.

"I fucking told you! This is the fastest route to get back to the damn base!"

Kisame glared at the cursing nin, his sharp teeth glinting menacingly.

"And I told you, that we are no taking that road." He grit out, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

"The fuck?! You asked me which was the quickest way and I fucking told you. So stop being a dickhead and listen!"

"Yeah, that was before you told me which one. We are not going that way." Kisame said, clearly frustrated with the whole situation.

"What going on here?" She asked Deidara who took a seat next to her on the bed, picking up Kumiko and petting her behind the ears in the process.

"No idea, I was just on my way to ask for more towels when I bumped into these two."

He shrugged before giving her a secret smile.

One that she tried to ignore but failed miserably.

True, he was giving her time and space, yet she knew that he was eagerly waiting for her decision.

"We won't take that route. There are other roads that lead to Akatsuki's base." The larger man supplied, irritation coating his usually gruff voice.

Her mind was suddenly immersed in thought. Sakura didn't have the strong urge or burning desire to return to her village. She didn't want to leave the criminals' presence. As shocking as it was, she knew that she belonged with them. Sakura balanced their darkness and gave them light, hope. But then she was still so very confused and so damn conflicted. Not only because of their affections but because she might be labeled a missing-nin. And as attached and infatuated as she was to the infamous group called Akatsuki, She still loved her village and everyone in it.

Just as before, their arguing brought her back into reality.

"Why the hell not?! We took that route from the base to fucking search for-"

"Exactly! She wasn't with us but she is now."

Hidan gripped his scythe so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"So what?! Why would her damn presence decide whether we take that road or not?"

At this, Kisame faltered, his anger fading away, only to have anxiety replace it.

"No fucking answer?" He sounded smug now.

Unable to hold her tongue, she joined in the conversation.

"I'm curious Kisame. Why would me being here change the route you usually take?"

Everyone looked at him then at her then back at Kisame, waiting for a reply.

"Well, you see angel….It's too dangerous."

The silver haired nin scoffed at this.

Kisame nodded to himself while she raised one pink eyebrow, incredulity lacing her tone.

"I'm a fully capable Kunoichi Kisame, I know how to handle myself in any situation."

"But…"

"Anymore reasons why we can't take that route?"

At this, the mist-nin sighed heavily, appearing very uncomfortable.

"Well?..." Sakura prompts, challenging him to give her an answer.

Suspicion was biting her, making her feel like danger wasn't the only reason why he was strongly against her going with them on this particular road.

"Hidan, are you sure that this is the quickest way to get back to the base?"

He smirks at the pinkette, nodding.

"And since there's no real reason why we cant take that route, then I say we go."

When Kisame was about to open his mouth and protest, she stopped him from doing so with an aggressive glare.

"No, Kisame. Sasori needs to get fixed and this is the fastest way. And getting him repaired is the most important thing at the moment."

It might not have been the smartest thing to do at the moment, basically ordering around a feared Akatsuki member. However, whenever Sakura was under stress (the recent confessions and kisses can do that to a woman you know) or confused, she had a tendency to act impulsively, more so than usual.

Deidara grit his teeth at this but said nothing as his partner smiles faintly, reminding him the very definition of self-satisfied.

Kisame briefly looked around the room and saw the looks on all their faces as they gazed at the pink haired medic-nin.

Adoration.

Respect.

Hope.

Love.

Wait….the hell?

His oddly colored eyes immediately searched the blondie's face once more, double-checking.

….

Oh _shit_.

….

He was right. They really were screwed.

His angel didn't know it yet, but she had the majority of Akatsuki's members under her spell.

They were wrapped around her little finger, and none of them could stop it.

It was much too late for that, not when they were loving every minute being around her.

Kisame shook his head.

He was also hooked, even going as far as to reject the idea of using that damn route.

But no, she just had to be so stubborn.

Then again, that was another reason why they loved her so much.

* * *

"We have to take the route."

"No." he replied.

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"No"

"No." She repeated, crossing her finger in hopes that he'll fall for it.

"No." He smirked at her, making her groan in frustration.

"Why not?" Irritation and suspicion was growing in her.

Silence, until finally, he relented and spoke.

"Because….you'retoodamninnocentandtheroutewe'retak inggoesthrougharedlightdistrict."

He said it so fast that it sounded like a jumble of words to the medic-nin.

"What?"

But before the mist-nin could speak, Hidan jumped in, growling out his answer.

"He says that we can't take the fucking route cause it goes through a shitty village that's sort've like a damn red light district."

To their surprise, she didn't blush or flinch.

"So?"

Silence.

"You're too damn innocent and-"

Sakura cut him off, her voice was incredulous.

"Innocent? Is that why you don't want us to got that way? Because I'm too innocent to go through a red light district?" She turned her head and asked Kisame, getting off the bed and poking him on the chest with each question.

He nodded sheepishly.

"You have got to be kidding me! I'm not innocent, far from it actually."

"We're not talking about killing Sakura-chan. It's about other matters…" Deidara added, trying to ease the tension.

"Hell yeah! Like seriously, you might as well be a fucking baby. When it comes to stuff like this."

A pink eyebrow twitched in frustration.

"Like what exactly."

It seemed like the question that Hidan was waiting for, because he brightened considerably. He answered, a wolfish grin on his lips.

"Sex."

He purred the word, licking his lips sensually after uttering it.

"That village is known for its women, booze and crimes. Kisame doesn't think you'll fucking survive in there."

Her green eyes instantly locked onto Kisame who was turning purple. Was he blushing?

"Now that I think about it, you are too damn innocent. Maybe I was wrong, you couldn't handle it." Hidan went on, loving the fire in her eyes that grew the more he spoke.

The pinkette took a deep breath before speaking, her voice loud and clear.

"It doesn't matter. If this is the quickest way to the base, we should take it."

Sakura gestured to Sasori's body, which was in several pieces strewn around the room.

"Like I give a fuck if he's in one piece or not."

Her glare intensified.

Fuck yeah. He thought, wanting to rile her up even more.

"How would you like being incapacitated? Would you like me to detach some of your body parts?"

The pinkette challenged, ignoring the entertained looks she was receiving from everyone in the vicinity.

"Hell yes!"

Her fiery green eyes widened at this.

"Didn't you know sweetheart? I'm a fucking immortal, nothing can kill me."

She grit her teeth in anger and frustration.

"Besides…"

Hidan trailed off, his voice husky and deep that it made something within her shiver.

In delight or fear, she wasn't so sure.

"I'm fine with you taking any other parts from this kick-ass body of mine, as long as I get to keep my favorite part."

He bites his lip and looks at her suggestively.

Once she registered what he said, a hot blush bloomed on either side of her creamy cheeks.

"See?! So fucking innocent."

She rolled her green eyes as he smirked devilishly.

"But its okay, I plan to taint you sooner or later."

Sakura immediately stepped back and crossed her arms.

"I'm not-"

"You are. But that's part of your appeal." A dark and velvety voice interrupted their heated and rather perverse argument.

All the males in the area and one female (two if you count Kumiko) looked to the door. Where Itachi came out, a towel hanging low on his hips and steam floating around him.

Oh Kami.

How can anyone look so good when dripping wet?

Itachi must have sensed her stare or heard her thoughts because the next second, he smirked at her.

The kind that irritated and thrilled her.

The kind that made her either want to pummel or smirk with him.

The kind that promised carnal pleasure behind closed doors and shut windows.

Yes, that smirk was very sexy.

Sakura averted her eyes, not catching the looks everyone shared.

The majority of them were of irritation towards the Uchiha. Yet it was also a mixture of disappointment. Since they had all made their intentions concerning the blossom very clear, it was all right to win her heart without any fear of being found out. Naturally, Itachi wanted to make full use of it.

One look was of annoyance and vexation, wishing that he wasn't literally torn apart.

Another was of disgruntlement; exasperated that he could catch the medic-nin's attention so easily.

"Let the woman does as she pleases. If she says she can handle the city of sin and pleasure, then what's stopping us?" Itachi murmured, running his hands through his black hair, his eyes catching hers.

"Absolutely nothing." Sakura said, looking up and gazing into those red orbs.

It was understandable why he was using his bloodline technique, considering that they were no longer alone and surrounded by other people, other shinobi.

Yet the pinkette wished, the darkest parts of her heart that he would turn it off.

That he would expose himself as a man. Not some hired assassin. But then again, that would be selfish and rude. Not to mention hypocritical since she herself was a killer. It didn't matter if she did it with mercy, those men still died at her hand.

With a sigh, she walked over to her pack, the one that she had left in the forest where Sasuke had found her. Thankfully, Itachi had taken it with him and now here it was.

Sakura tried her best to ignore the stares she felt boring into her back as she searched for her nightclothes. Her green eyes did a quick scan of the contents of the bag, only to find several of the yukatas that Itachi had bought for her. She ignored those (yes it looked pretty, but it wasn't as comfortable as her oversized shirt and shorts back at the village) and searched deeper. Seconds later, she found it. A long sleeve shirt that was the color of blood. On her ten-year-old body, it dwarfed her completely, hanging off one shoulder and pooling around her feet. And now, it ended around mid-thigh. Perfect sleep wear length if you ask her.

Sakura was on her way to the still steamy bathroom, when a voice halted her in her steps.

"Is that blondie's shirt?"

She faced Kisame, biting her lip nervously, sensing the rising tension in the room.

"No, it's mine."

He gave her a look that said 'Do I look stupid to you?'

"Okay….okay, he gave it to me. Happy?"

"Extremely." Deidara's voice called, a satisfied smirk on his tanned face.

"When did he give you his fucking shirt?"

"Around the time we were still at the base, I was still in a child's body then, so it didn't fit so well. It does now though." Her voice was innocent, dubious to all the male energy surging around the room.

Once more, they were all aware that since they had made their feelings and intentions for her very clear, it was free game. They could all pursue Sakura as much as they wanted. It was just the matter of who she liked the most.

"I'm sure." The blonde commented, subtly roving her kimono-clad form, raising a light blush to her cheeks.

The look he gave her was one of intimacy and fire. As if he was burning from the inside out, burning for her. The thought made her body and face heat up a bit more. Just thinking about him wanting her that way brought foreign feelings that she wasn't sure what to do with. And so, with a curt nod, she escaped into the small, tiled bathroom. Escaping from his scorching blue gaze. Slamming the door behind her and locking it with the twist of the latch above the knob.

Thanks to the sounds of water hitting the tiled surface, Sakura failed to hear the conversation going on at the other side of the wooden door.

"Angel, going to sin city with the rest of us? It sounds like-"

Hidan, who was practically jumping with excitement, cut off Kisame rather rudely.

"Fun! I can't wait to fucking get there already!"

"And I thought my Danna was impatient."

Even though Deidara was running in the race for Sakura's heart, he wasn't going to lose his respect for his partner.

"I am. That is yet another reason why I long to return to the base. I'd rather have all my limbs attached."

"Tch…..such fools."

The conversation that had been flowing abruptly stopped at Itachi's cold and hard voice.

"The hell Uchiha?!"

Although the members of Akatsuki assumed he was speaking (insulting) them, it was everything but.

One, Itachi wasn't even facing them; he was looking out the window. Where the festival was still going on, only with less people.

Two, he was addressing the figure cloaked in darkness. In between two buildings, inside an alleyway.

Three, he was staring straight into eyes that reflected his own, red and black, full of pain and darkness.

* * *

**PLEASE READ! **

Ta-da! hope you liked it. This chapter was more of a filler than anything else. The next one is going to be a bit more intense, if you catch my drift *winks* I'm still not sure whether Dei, Hidan or Itachi would take the lead in the next chappie. Sasori definitely can't, considering he's not really put together at the moment *laughs awkwardly* okay, that was a bad pun. Anyways, you'll just have to read the next chapter to find out. Here's a hint what will be in the next update...Dancing (dirty or not, who knows?)...drinking (with kisame of course!)...and...drum roll please...Sasuke! Yes, he shall appear soon enough. Yikes this is getting long. I wonder if anybody is actually reading it, hope so! ANyways, lots of love and thanks to my followers, reviewers, readers and those who continues to read this story. It really means a lot to me. Lets make it to 1000 reviews people! Till' next time ;) - VZ


	37. T o x i c

**PLEASE READ : ** I made this extra long for my lovely readers and reviewers. This is also a birthday gift to a reviewer who had just turned 18 (right?) congrats! Consider this a gift from the internet once more XD And I apologize for the lack of Sasori in this chappie, he'll be in the next one though ;) I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

"Now this is what I call a fucking festival!" Hidan's exuberant voice called out, a crazed grin on his handsome face.

Sakura could only stare in shock at the sight before her.

There was a large sign at the entrance of the village that said in blinding neon lights; Tsumi Toshi

When the silver haired nin mentioned the town being popular for its women, booze and crimes, he was not underrating it in the slightest.

Compared to the festival they had gone to nights ago, this was completely overwhelming.

Where the quaint village had a few stands for food, small lanterns and an old inn, this town had large restaurants, glaring neon lights and rather sizable hotels.

The buildings were several stories high, making the small village they had come from look miniscule. Lights and lanterns hung above their heads, ranging from bloody red to purple and yellow to a deep midnight blue, illuminating the streets with a blend of colors.

There were hardly any trees in the city of sin; instead there were shops, clubs and bars that lined the roads. Their signs were bright and neon, attracting tourists like how moths were drawn to a light.

The pinkette also saw several casinos; their lights were just as vibrant and glaring as the rest of the town. Women in tiny skirts, microscopic tops and towering heels dangled off the men's arms like mere accessories as they walked out of the several establishments, something that she disliked greatly.

Another thing she noticed was how noisy this place was.

The Music was loud, booming from the many stores and bars that surrounded the crowds. Crowds comprised of women wearing scraps of cloth, inviting hungry males for their attention and men who were smoking cigarettes and drinking sake like there was no tomorrow morning. But then again, maybe in this town, there wasn't.

Laughter, music and voices permeated through the air like the smoke coming from the men's pipes and cigarettes, which smelled awful and thick.

Not that the rest of the place was any better, it stunk of sex, sweat, blood and alcohol.

And in the corner of her eye, she could see Hidan smiling wickedly, using his hand to slick back his silvery hair, looking devilishly handsome in the process.

Sakura immediately shook her head, trying to clear her mind of any inappropriate thoughts involving the Akatsuki members.

"We better find a place to stay." Kisame stated in his usual gruff voice, balancing the large sack he was carrying over his shoulder.

She bit her lip, feeling bad for Sasori who was currently in pieces, inside the huge brown bag.

The jashinist laughed hysterically at the sight, to which she threatened him with a blow to his 'most favorite part of his anatomy'. Unfortunately, he simply continued laughing and said he'd welcome it.

Sakura patted the bag sympathetically before moving in to join the others.

They nodded, knowing that it was much too late to continue on their journey for the underground base.

The mist-nin sighed, glancing anxiously at her every now and then.

She could tell that he was still against her being here in the first place, even though she tried convincing him that there was nothing to fear. That her innocence would not be corrupted, since she had none.

To this the majority of them gave her a look that showed their obvious doubt for her statement.

Making her feel indignant and even more set on going this route. If anything, it was their fault for saying she was too young to experience such things. Sakura was a grown woman dammit! Passed her legal age even!

Before any of them had a chance to speak, Hidan cut them off.

"I know a fucking place where we could stay the damn night. Seriously."

After almost a whole hour of shoving past the hoard of people, they finally arrived at a hotel.

Hidan spoke to the clerk, eliciting a blush to rise to her cheeks. She leaned forward and boldly displayed her chest for him to ogle at.

It was then that she experienced two things.

One was jealousy.

The need to punch something with her chakra-laden fist was extremely compelling at the moment, preferably at the clerk's face.

Two was incredulity.

Was she, Sakura Haruno, actually envious for Hidan?

The shock was simply too much.

She quickly adverted her green eyes (how ironic) missing the way Hidan brushed off the lady with a roll of his purple eyes.

The pinkette then turned to Kisame who was still upset she had agreed (forced) them to take this sin-filled route. She gave him a hesitant and sweet smile that soon grew when he returned it.

"I'll be okay. Stop worrying about me." She said lightly, bumping him on the arm with her fist, without chakra of course.

He sighed, big and deep. Although he sounded tired, he was able to give her a fond look before speaking in his usual gruff voice.

"Can't help it angel."

Kisame couldn't help but grin back at her. The one who just stirred up so many feelings inside of him that he had no clue what to do with.

Yeah, he didn't want her to go this way, but of course, being the stubborn woman she was, insisted they go.

Hell, he could try to be as angry with her as much as he wanted. Although, as long as she had that smile on her face, there was no way he could stay upset.

…..

Oh shit...

..._not_ _again_...

…..

Kisame inwardly face palmed. Since when did he turn into a softie? What happened to the infamous mist-nin with the terrifying appearance and deadly aura?

He glanced at her once more.

Sakura smiled, the kind that made you smile back.

The kind that made you feel nervous and your palms sweaty.

….

I'm screwed.

He thought, realizing that as long as she was in his life, things weren't going to be the same.

But did he want her to leave? To walk out of his life forever?

…

Hell no.

Was it selfish? Yes. But Kisame had a feeling that he wasn't the only one who felt this way.

Looking around, observing the way his fellow Akatsuki members were drawn to her, he knew that they didn't want her going anywhere.

At first the mist-nin was confused why he and everyone else had gotten so attached and infatuated. He was confused to why he didn't want her dead, why he went berserk searching for her, why he hated seeing any other man touch her.

However after looking deeper into these strange new emotions, and after thinking about what she had done for them, it was obvious now.

It became clear on why they were all royally screwed.

The pink haired medic had done more than heal their physical wounds; she'd fixed them emotionally as well. Made them actually feel again. Deep down, he wasn't surprised that they all held affection for her. Who wouldn't? Especially since they were criminals, hardened and jaded men that don't deserve the slightest bit of kindness. Yet their blossom had healed them, smiled at them, and hardly looked into their pasts.

They didn't deserve it.

But that didn't stop her.

No, she was too damn stubborn.

It didn't stop her from endearing them, making them feel for her, encouraging them to smile back.

And Kisame knew, he wasn't the only one falling.

They all were.

* * *

"Listen, I don't know what the hell is your problem- a loud, feminine gasp could be heard –but quit bugging me and let me do my business." Kiba crossed his arms gave the red head a wolfish grin, fully confident that he didn't need the bitch to help him track his pink haired friend.

"You're my problem dog boy!"Karin screeched and pointed an accusing finger at him rather dramatically.

"And when you say doing your business, good luck finding a tree to piss on."

Two menacing growls erupted from both canines, thoroughly scaring Karin. Naturally, she turned to Sasuke, a pout on her face.

"Sasuke-kun! Get rid of the mangy mutt. He's-"

At this point in time, Naruto simply couldn't take it anymore. It's been only been a few nights since they ran into Sasuke's team and combined forces to find their pink haired medic, yet it seemed like an eternity to the blonde. He was way past the point of irritated and flat out angry with the whiny girl who tagged along.

"Helping us find Sakura-chan! So you.."

This time, he pointed an accusing finger at her, making her gasp once more.

"...shut up!"

She gasped again. Although instead of whining to the youngest Uchiha, who was busy brooding at a corner, she fisted her hands and narrowed her eyes.

"Why should I? I'm the tracker here!"

"This chick is really getting on my nerves Naruto." Kiba grit out, his fangs glinting eerily under the moonlight.

"Tch…such a drag."

"For once, I agree with you." The stoic Hyuuga nodded to Shikamaru who linked his hands behind his pineapple shaped hair, cradling the back of his head as he shifted his weight to his other foot. Perfecting the picture of complete and utter laziness.

"Ah geez! Can we please forget who's the damn tracker here? Newsflash! You both are." Naruto huffed, angry, tired and just plain stressed.

"Shouldn't the two of you make things go faster?" He said exasperatedly, desperate to see a familiar pink head of hair and beautiful green eyes.

Kiba brought up his hand and scratched his loyal friend behind his furry ears just as he opened his mouth to speak.

"She's so damn annoying, yapping and whining for the Uchiha like a lost pup."

Another gasp from the only red head in the group.

"How can I? She's such a bitch, no one can deny that."

The silence that followed his statement made Karin gape, then her eyes narrowed at everyone in the area, excluding her future husband of course.

To this, Naruto shook his head, a headache forming at both his temples and the base of his skull.

"A-a bitch?! Why you-"

She was suddenly interrupted by a cloaked figure that appeared out of nowhere.

"Quiet Karin."

And just like that, she shut up.

He could have rolled his eyes if he wasn't so damn worried for Sakura-chan.

"Where?" Sasuke questioned, his voice was curt and emotionless, reminding him of their days as children.

Naruto was immensely happy that Sasuke came to them. But, he couldn't help but feel the slightest bit suspicious. Where had he come from? What did he have planned? Why did he want to team up and search for Sakura all of a sudden? Whenever he tried asking him, Sasuke would simply look at him.

What was he hiding?

So many questions and zero answers frustrated him to no end.

There were times that he tried looking into that fathomless gaze, eager to search for the truth.

Sadly, he didn't find it.

Instead, Naruto saw so much hatred and anger that it made his heart clench painfully.

"North from us, about fifty or so miles."

If he weren't so upset, he would have done a thumbs up and yelled something inspiring and corny.

Unfortunately, he just wasn't in the mood.

Not when his best friend, his teammate was out there, alone and frightened.

Oh, if only he knew.

* * *

"Welcome, would you like any refreshments?" An overly friendly voice said, halting the conversation going around their table.

Sakura looked up to see a woman around early twenties, although it was hard to tell the exact age when you have so much make-up caked on your face. She was wearing…absolutely nothing but a sad excuse for a dress. Her chest looked like it was on the verge of spilling out and the hem was just a few inches under her crotch.

**Well, they have to get customers right? And Women are a man's favorite snacks. **

_Oh, how much I've missed your crude and perverse words. _Sakura replied to Inner, her voice as dry as the desert.

**Why wouldn't you? **

_I was being sarcastic. _

**No shit. **

She inwardly groaned, not wanting to alert Kisame, Itachi, Deidara and Hidan of her mental conversation as they ordered their drinks.

**Besides, you shouldn't complain about my 'crude' words when someone else….has a much dirtier mouth.**

_Excuse me? What exactly are you implying?_

Inner snickered and flashed a naughty grin.

**Oh please, don't even try playing dumb. We both know you aren't….occasionally.**

The pinkette mentally rolled her eyes at her other self, gesturing for her to continue.

_Who's got a dirty mouth? Aside from you? _

At this, Inner began licking her lips, much like how a wolf would before attacking their prey.

**Hidan **

Immediately, her eyes glued to his form.

**Damn** Inner whistled low, her eyes roving up and down his muscled body.

_Stop it! Ogling is-_

-**Exactly what your doing.** She stated rather smugly.

Sakura hated to admit it, however Inner was right.

**Of course I am.**

Hidan was sitting on his chair, his legs apart and his arms hanging on the seat's back.

His silvery hair was slicked back as usual; only a few strands fell onto his face, framing it.

**His eyes, don't forget about those! **

Instantly, she glanced at his purplish eyes.

They were so uniquely colored that it made her want to look deeper.

And the way his gaze was half lidded made him appear so much sexier than he already was.

Not to mention his smirk, that annoying little tilt of the lips that looked positively sinful.

As if sensing her eyes on him, He faced her.

That wicked smirk grew.

"I said, What would you like to drink?" An irritated voice pulled her out of her reverie.

"Sorry?" Sakura said, her attention now on the waitress who no longer had a smile on her face.

"You should be." She flipped her blonde hair before speaking once more, with a condescending voice and an expression to match.

"Now, how about a bottle of water or some milk for the baby girl?"

**Oh hell no.** Inner growled at the waitress, already hostile.

"What-"

The medic-nin was abruptly cut off, by the blonde who looked very pleased with herself.

She even looked around their table to gouge the reaction of the Akatsuki, expecting them to find humor in her insults.

"Of course your older brothers wouldn't want you do drink alcohol right?"

"Older brothers?"

"Duh." She pointed to each of the males; a flirtatious wink was given to each of them.

"They're not my relatives."

"Oh? Well I just assumed, since you look too…."

The waitress eyes raked up and down her body, a frown marring her powdered features.

"….young for them…."

Her jaw almost dropped at her words.

"….not to mention quite ugly."

This time, she did gape.

**Let me at her! **Her other self was itching to land a hit on her smug face, Sakura was no exception. But she knew that participating in a brawl with some blonde for the sake of her looks was petty and useless.

Sure it was embarrassing, yet it was a waste of chakra if she did decide to go to such lengths. And so, she breathed in and out, calming herself before smiling at the girl.

"Thank you for your pathetic insults. Now, I'll have a Johnny walker blue, with rocks." Sakura stated calmly.

Sadly, the girl was too thick to take a hint.

So she smiled at the men and spoke, her voice was low and supposedly sultry.

"If you want a night out with a real woman, you can find me at sybaritic. "

With another wink and hair flip, she was gone.

"Don't believe a thing she says yeah."

The pinkette didn't have to turn to see him, she knew that Deidara was there, next to her, whispering hotly into her ear.

"She's just jealous, but what woman wouldn't be yeah?"

The blonde artist could feel the murderous glares boring into his back like nails being hammered into wood. Yes, it was terrifying; too bad he just didn't care. Not when she was right next to him.

"Thanks Dei, I just…I don't know why she had to act so…"

"bitchy?"

"I was going to say mean, but that works too." She gave him a smile, which he happily returned.

"So, angel, how you liking Tsumi toshi so far?

Her attention had shifted from Deidara to Kisame, who had a shark like grin pasted to his blue face.

"Well, it's definitely…."

"Fucking awesome?"

Green eyes rolled at Hidan's comment.

"Not exactly, more like overwhelming." She nodded, affirming her statement.

"Not surprised, this place can be too much. Especially for-"

At this the pinkette interrupted him, not willing to hear about her innocence and how pure she was.

Kami, they made her sound like a clueless child.

True, she didn't drink or have sex like most girls her age (In their line of work, you could meet their end in the battlefield or worse, and nobody wanted to die a virgin) however that didn't mean she wasn't capable of doing such things. If anything, she should be rather experienced in both areas.

Thanks to her mentor and her drinking habits, she could hold her alcohol well. And by being a skillful medic-nin, Sakura knew everything about the body. Which means she could flush out her system of alcohol without wasting too much chakra. Also, She was far from being an innocent little girl when it came to men and women doing dirty deeds at the dead of night. Her knowledge of the male's anatomy and Ino-pig's constant chattering about how to pleasure a man could even give her an advantage when it came to the world of sex.

"Don't say it."

The mist-nin held both his hands up in surrender, the grin never leaving his lips.

"Don't have to."

Her green eyes narrowed, daring him to continue.

Of course, he took up the challenge.

"We all know that this is your first time in a place like this. And you're just too sweet, angel. I can't even imagine you drinking."

His bluntness stunned her.

Was it so hard to believe that she could be wild and sexy? That she wasn't a cute, innocent baby like the waitress had so rudely claimed?

"Is me drinking sake or alcohol so hard to believe?"

The large, blue man nodded. And so did the rest of Akatsuki.

"Are you kidding me?"

Sakura was starting to get indignant and slightly angry. And anyone who really knew her, would know how impulsive she gets.

"Do I look like I'm joking angel?"

Her eyes flashed dangerously, making a certain Jashinist smile widely.

"You better be. Because there's absolutely no way that you actually think that I, a full grown woman, can't even drink."

Kisame chuckled, finding her attempts to convince him of her drinking experience cute. Much like how an angry kitten would try clawing at you but lacked in results.

"Can you Sakura? Can you hold your liquor as well as you claim?" The smooth and velvety voice of Itachi Uchiha wondered as he leaned forward with interest.

The pinkette smirked bravely, surprising the members of Akatsuki.

"I can hold it better than sharky over here."

Hidan guffawed while the rest of them shared amused glances.

"Oh fuck! The bitch thinks she can outdrink Kisame!"

"I know I can."

"You sound awfully confident for someone who's about to lose."

"Oh, that must be a mistake."

Sakura pretended to think, her pink brows furrowed as she bit her lower lip.

Kisame raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Why's that?"

Here she smirked, unaware of how wild and beautiful in that very moment.

"Because I plan to win." Her voice was confident and her eyes fiery, filled with determination.

The Uchiha followed suit and allowed himself to tilt his lips upwards, mirth dancing in his red eyes.

He knew and so did the rest of Akatsuki members, that this night, was going to get more than interesting.

* * *

"Holy fucking hell…" The Jashin worshipper said, an awed expression on his face.

"You got that right yeah." Deidara added, his blue eye staring at the amazing sight before them.

There, right before them, was Kisame and Sakura, both glaring hard at each other as they downed yet another shot of sake.

On his side, their was a long row of shot glasses, testifying how much the mist-nin had drank.

On her side, was a tall pyramid of shot glasses that seemed to get higher and higher.

Surprisingly, a crowd had formed around the pair, chanting for who they thought would win.

To his, and most likely everyone else' shock, the pinkette was the one who was dominating the match.

She looked completely sober; her eyes still sharp and her movements still graceful and deliberate.

Kisame on the other hand, was barely holding up.

His eyes were now glassy and he appeared rather unsteady, even his movements were jerky and unfocused.

"Oh Jashin, I think I'm in love." Hidan breathed, his tone was edging towards reverent.

Thankfully, the blonde didn't hear his statement due to the noise from the crowd and the music blaring from the speakers.

"You okay there? You look about ready to fall over."

The mist-nin gave her a drunken smile and took another shot.

"I wouldn't worry about me, it's you who looks ready to-hiccup-fall over."

Sakura rolled her eyes and tilted her head back, exposing her creamy neck and downing yet another glass of alcohol. Which, she was currently burning in her system.

Some would call it cheating, she would call it resourceful thinking.

Besides, as mean as it was, she wanted him to see that she could handle the nightlife, that she wasn't a little girl anymore.

"I sincerely doubt that."

Five minutes later, and another ten or fifteen shots, Kisame was now taking a nap on the floor and Sakura was glowing with happiness at her achievement.

"Holy shit. You actually did it. You fucking did it! Oh hell, he is never gonna live this down."

"That was great yeah!" Deidara stepped in to hug her, but he was blocked. A frown appeared on his tanned face when he realized that it was none other than Itachi Uchiha who had separated him from his blossom.

Just how many times did the bastard think he could just butt in?

The dark haired man smirked knowingly, as if he knew what was going through his mind at this very moment.

"Tch….will you move yeah?"

"No, I have no reason to." He replied readily, that smug look still on his cold features.

"Want one yeah?"

"Hn.."

Wow, the man actually grunted at him.

"Words Uchiha, try using them. It helps when talking to others."

Deidara tilted his head, looking past the Uchiha so that he could spot his Sakura.

Worry and dread filled him instantly at the sight, or rather, lack there of.

But before Itachi could open his mouth and reply, the blonde interrupted him, a worried glint in his one blue eye.

"She's gone."

Itachi scanned the area and found a disturbing occurrence as well. He faced the blonde with an irritated look on his face, his tone just as vexed.

"Unfortunately, so is Hidan."

* * *

"Hey! Let me go you-"

"Fucking hot piece of ass?"

"More like annoying, rude excuse of a man!"

Sakura replied angrily, pulling at her hand, which was firmly gripped in his.

Just as she was about to pour a bit of chakra into her fist, he stopped her.

Hidan abruptly turned, resulting with her running into him.

He used this to his advantage and held her hand tight, while his other appendage pushed the small of her back. This caused her body to mold with his, much to her embarrassment.

"Don't you fucking dare use your super human strength to run away from me. Seriously."

He growled, in response she shivered, since they were practically glued together at the moment, she could feel everything.

Even the way his chest rumbled as he growled like a hungry lion.

"Why not? I can break your hand if I wanted to."

Hidan smirked.

That damn, hot, sexy smirk.

She was so screwed.

**I hope so!** Inner said eagerly. However, she wasn't in the mood to deal with her right now so she shoved her other self at the farthest recesses of her mind.

"That's the thing my sweet, hot babe…"

Instead of growling earlier, he purred, eliciting a hot blush from her.

"...You won't do that, cause you fucking love me."

This brazen declaration jarred her brutally.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

He shrugged in his usual, devil-may-care attitude.

"I'm just saying that you, will be mine."

Indignation mixed with anger and chagrin swirled within her, giving her the courage to tilt her head upwards and meet his purplish gaze.

"You sound pretty convinced that I'll be yours."

Green clashed with purple.

"I fucking know it."

"What makes you so sure you can handle me?"

Sakura didn't care.

She didn't care that they were in the heart of sin city, in the middle of the road crammed with people.

She didn't care if she was playing with fire.

And she sure as hell didn't care if she was going to get burnt.

The silver haired nin leaned forward and brushed the length of her nose with his, his eyes never straying from hers.

"I'm Hidan of Akatsuki babe, I can handle anything."

The pinkette had no idea where all this confidence was coming from, but she was glad it was here, empowering her to step up and push back.

Proving to not only him but to everyone else that she was no longer the child she used to be.

"That was before you met Sakura Haruno of Konoha."

Hidan eyes flashed and the smirk on his lips transformed form cocky and arrogant to tempting and inviting.

For a moment, his eyes looked tender. Less seductive and more of an affectionate look. But before she could look further into it, he blinked, reverting back into his usual egotistical self.

"And I'm so damn happy I did."

And with that, he moved away and continued to drag her by the wrist, weaving past the hoards of people and to an entrance of a packed club.

Or at least, that's what she assumed it was.

Just as she was about to ask Hidan if it really was a bar, a loud 'Riiiip' could be heard.

Good thing most people either didn't care, or was too busy enjoying themselves that they didn't notice how the silver haired man just sliced the pinkette's dress.

"Oh Kami…What did you do?!" Her eyes were wide with shock at what had just occurred.

"I just saved you from looking like a fucking idiot."

A pink eyebrow twitched.

"Oh really?"

He nodded.

"Then how would destroying my clothes help me?"

The Akatsuki member spoke, his voice was patronizing as if he was an adult scolding a rather naughty child.

"You'd look like a freaking prude if you wore that- he pointed to the scraps of cloth that now littered the ground- in there."

"There's no way I'm going in there, especially like this." Her hands gestured to the torn fabric of her yukata.

"Dammit, why don't you just relax?"

"But-"

"Are you scared of exposing yourself like this? Can't handle the city of sin and pleasure?"

Sakura ground her teeth at his words, which were obviously baiting her. Although with her impulsiveness and quick temper, it was hard to see it at the moment.

"You know I can."

"Then this shouldn't be a problem."

Sakura looked down at her ruined dress.

However, her sadness soon faded when she realized how short he cut it.

"I look-"

"So damn mouth watering."

The dress that used to reach all the way to her ankles, was now hanging just above mid-thigh.

The bastard even cut a slit up both sides, exposing her legs for the world to see. Sakura was so grateful that Kisame and Itachi had been thoughtful enough to buy her a pair of boots (They had purchased it for her on their journey back to the base) she never got a chance to wear them until recently.

Kisame and his partner had insisted she wore them instead of the flimsy sandals while they traveled.

But he had left her sleeves that covered her arms, so that was a relief.

But still…she felt..indecent.

"C'mon, you look fucking tasty in that. "

"Will you stop it? I'm not a dish you know."

"Like hell I will, and as if you don't like it." Hidan winked roguishly before grabbing her once again and heading into the lion's den.

If Sakura thought it was loud outside, she was sorely mistaken.

The entire building was swarming with people dancing, writhing and grinding their bodies to the pounding music. However, while it was blindingly bright outside, it was dark here.

Not completely though, there were spotlights that highlighted the dancers in the many stages lining the walls.

Red, pink and purple lights blinked in time with the sounds, giving the scene a more dramatic flare.

Her eyes widened when she saw cages hanging suspended from the ceiling, women in tiny gold dresses dancing to the beat.

"Oh Kami…" Sakura breathed at the sight, clearly not used to seeing so many people crammed into one room in a mass of moving bodies.

They stopped at the bar where drinks were similarly lined up like the stage, the liquids ranged from orange to green and violet to pink.

The pair started drinking, much to Hidan's delight. At first she was hesitant but he had once again baited her, drawing her in until she caved pathetically.

"You ready?" Hidan yelled so that his voice could be heard from all the noise.

"For?"

"To dance with the hottest guy in here!"

At this she smirked.

"Really? Okay."

He was about to grab her hand when she spoke, halting his movements.

"Where is he?"

Those alluring purple eyes flashed dangerously and that damn tilt of his lips was back.

"Less attitude, more dancing babe."

For the first time this evening, he held out his hand, waiting for hers to twine with his.

Rationality told her to shake her head and leave in hopes of finding Deidara, Itachi or even Kisame.

Euphoria told her to take his hand.

And she did.

* * *

"Where is she yeah?"

"Hn.."

"Stop grunting at me Uchiha!"

This time, Itachi emphasized it.

"HN…."

"That's it-"

But before Deidara could land a blow on his smug face, Kisame spoke. Well, more like grumbled incoherently.

"Ah geez, we better put him back in the room yeah."

"Then we search for her."

For the first time that night, the blonde agreed with him.

* * *

If someone told her that she would drink Kisame the infamous mist-nin under the table, she would have laughed herself silly.

If someone told her that she would be kissed by criminals of the same organization that the whole shinobi world fears, she would have personally admitted them into konoha's mental ward.

And if someone told her that she, Sakura Haruno, would be dancing with Hidan in the middle of a club in the center of sin city, she….she would have no idea what to do.

However here she was, in his arms with her chest molded with his, doing the impossible.

Grinding with Akatsuki's masochist and sadist.

The notion was so terribly insane, but it was true.

Suddenly she turned rigid, realizing that this…this was wrong. Yet how could something so logically wrong? Feel so damn right?

"Stop thinking babe, just feel."

His hands gripped her hips tightly and he pressed her body against his.

Demanding her to forget all rational thought and just feel.

And what she felt was simply amazing.

Lines and muscles rippled under her fingertips (her hands were being rather bold, roaming his chest and finally clutching the nape of his neck to pull him closer) and she could feel his pelvis grinding, gyrating into hers.

Heat exploded within her body, begging her to respond to his advances. Which felt so wonderful that she couldn't help but gasp when Hidan's lips grazed her throat. Impulsively, she tilted her head, so that her neck was arched and exposed to his hungry mouth. Nipping at the skin, bringing a brief flash of pain before he sucked on it which brought a high amount of pleasure that made her toes curl inside her black boots.

Was it the drinks that were now in her system making her act so wild?

Inwardly she shook her head.

No, this wasn't the alcohol running through her body (Overwhelmed with the excitement and music, She had forgotten to purge the drinks from her system with chakra) It was the man who held her so tight and close that she doubted he'd ever let go.

Sakura knew in that moment, the jashinist was worse than any kind of alcoholic drink.

He was toxic.

Like venom flowing through her veins, poisoning her. Corrupting her in the most succulent way imaginable.

Alarm bells were ringing in her head but she ignored them. Instead of running away from this heated situation, she leaned closer and looked him in the eye.

Swirls of emotion greeted her in those purple depths.

Lust.

Reverence.

Affection.

Happiness.

Impulsively, Sakura brought up her hand to brush away the silvery strands that fell onto his face. She wanted to see more of his oddly colored but beautiful eyes.

'Fuck' he thought, furrowing his eyebrows.

The fucking way she looked at him made him so damn happy. And he didn't give a shit if he sounded retarded or sappy. Because he fucking loved every second of it.

Hidan knew that it was a fucking mistake to look into her eyes. The ones that made him grin like a madman whenever they spit emerald fire at him.

But when she ran her fingers through his hair so damn softly….kindly….

That was it for him.

That small endearing gesture made his lust flare and his heart swell.

And the last thing that went through his foggy mind was-

To hell with it.

And so, he leaned down to do the one thing he had been craving for the moment he saw rage evident in her gaze. To do the one thing he fucking wanted since she had landed a hard punch into his gut.

Hidan leaned down to kiss her, at least he would have, if it weren't for the woman who had so rudely pushed his woman out of his arms like a rag doll.

"I knew you'd come find me."

It was the waitress from a while ago. The one who insulted his woman.

Just as he as about to yell at her to 'fuck off' she dragged him away, away from Sakura.

The silver haired nin immediately pushed the desperate girl off and turned on his heel in search for the pinkette.

However, she was gone.

Lost in the mass of people dancing like there was no tomorrow.

Never before had Hidan felt such an immense loss without her at his side.

It was such a weird and foreign feeling.

Not like the warm, fuzzy ones a while ago when she was with him. It was the complete and fucking opposite, and he hated every second of it.

"Aw shit."

* * *

**PLEASE READ...AGAIN...hehe :** Hope you liked it! lots of love and thanks for my amazing reviewers and readers. Especially the ones who take time off to type down extremely long and thoughtful reviews.I had lots of fun reading em' (not that short new don't bring me joy either, trust me, they do too :D)

I can't believe I reached 100k words! Woo!

Oh and Tsumi Toshi is japanese for city of sin...I think...hehe...he...Anyways, Till' next time!- VZ


	38. T h e - D a m n e d

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

Fuck.

Fu-ck….

F-u-c-k….

FUCK!..

Hidan was just about ready to crack some skulls open thanks to these people who just kept on moving so damn much!

He narrowed his eyes, searching the mass of dancing bodies for the ridiculous yet pretty pink head of hair.

"Jashin help me."

"I don't know about him, but I certainly can." A supposedly sultry voice whispered into his ear.

Suddenly, a soft body was pressed against his arm, thoroughly scaring the living shit out of him.

"The hell?!"

He looked at the woman who was wearing a skimpy piece of cloth and a sexy smirk on her face.

She was practically drowning his handsome face into her boobs.

For some insane reason, he didn't like that.

Actually, the jashinist found this entire situation…boring.

Yes, he thought a woman throwing herself at his feet dull and fucking boring.

Hidan was inwardly shocked at the realization that he wasn't turned on by the blonde waitress, not the slightest bit.

Well, it wasn't that she was ugly, just decent enough in his opinion. And she did have a good pair of legs.

So he wondered just why the hell he didn't want to fuck her then and there.

It's not that parts of his anatomy weren't working well.

Hell, it was in great effing condition.

It's just that the bitch hanging onto his arm like a desperate whore (maybe she was one?...) didn't attract him in the least. Which was fucking weird!

It was simple.

He was a straight man with a sexy as hell body.

She had legs that she was obviously willing to spread for him.

Then why didn't he just fuck her?

Like a flash of lightning, images and colors flickered through his mind at a frantic and rapid pace.

…Pink….

…Green….

….Soft skin….

…Lips pursed slightly, looking so damn inviting….

….A killer body that was just so damn fuck-able…..

"Sakura…"

Hidan whispered her name like a prayer, his eyes far and slightly glassy, gazing at the image of a certain pink haired kunoichi with strong fists and a very bad temper.

"Excuse me?" An insulted voice asked him, it was loud and annoying, grating against his nerves and pulling at the last threads of his patience (not that he had much of that in the first place)

"I said Sa-ku-ra." He emphasized each syllable of the fiery hot and sexy as hell name of the blossom.

Again, images assaulted his mind like an onslaught of kunai.

Pink hair, but more of it.

Same fiery green eyes filled with rage that excited him to no end.

"I hope you're not talking about that little girl you were dancing with."

The blonde's voice was sugary sweet with an underlying tone of fury.

Yeahp, that bitch was definitely jealous of his woman.

….

He liked that.

…..

His woman.

It sounded…so damn right to him, seriously.

"Listen…."

Her dull and boring eyes brightened-

"….I don't care who the hell you are and I have no intention of finding out."

-only to darken and narrow as he continued speaking.

Hidan watched as the anger and flame in her eyes grew.

Yet he wasn't thrilled or happy at all.

There was no excitement or anything!

Zip, zilch, nothing.

Suddenly, the jashin worshiper was hit with a heavy yet welcome realization.

There was a reason why he wasn't the slightest bit inclined to fuck the living daylights out of the blonde.

There was a reason why he kept thinking about the annoying and girly as fuck, color pink.

And there was a reason why all he wanted to do right now, was to find _his_ woman and hold her in his arms.

Holy fuck.

Did he….actually…like her?

Hell no.

It went far deeper than mere attraction.

It had something to do with the need to always be around her, to always claim her as his.

His purplish eyes darted back to the desperate whore, who was giving him a pout and a generous view of her boobs and ass.

Too bad he just wasn't turned on.

At that moment, Hidan knew that this blonde bitch didn't hold a candle to the burning inferno that was Sakura Haruno.

* * *

"She's close, the scent is getting stronger guys!" Kiba barked, niffing the air much like his canine friend.

"Oh yeah! I can't wait to see Sakura-chan." The blonde of the group yelled enthusiastically, his whiskered cheeks beginning to hurt from all the smiling he's been doing.

He was suddenly glad that he didn't bother to stop for breaks in the bathroom, eat and or sleep.

It was worth missing all of that just to see her happy, smiling face again.

"Tch….such a drag."

Naruto's happy dance abruptly stopped.

"What?"

"I said-"

Shikamaru was cut off by an annoyed and slightly angry voice that belonged to one Uzumaki Naruto.

"I heard what you said."

He raised one dark eyebrow.

"Then why are you asking?"

"I just can't believe you think finding Sakura-chan would be a drag."

The pineapple haired man rolled his dark eyes and crossed his arms.

It was a wonder how such simple movements could appear so lazy when the Nara heir did it.

"I didn't say that."

Before Naruto could even open his mouth to protest, the brunette continued.

"I didn't specify what was such a drag to me. And if you're wondering what is, it's this constant travelling. I want her safe as much as you do, but I can't help but find it weird how we always miss her by a couple miles."

He shrugged carelessly and continued in his usual lazy drawl.

"And trust me when I say this, It isn't Sakura who'd being so loud and annoying right now."

It was silent as the blonde furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, pondering on his words.

"He means you! You idiot!" A loud, banshee like scream echoed around the area, making all the men, especially the dogs of the group, wince.

Blue eyes narrowed at the red head.

"I'm not an-" Shikamaru's words slowly sunk in.

"Ohhhh…."

Karin flipped her red hair and rolled her equally red eyes.

She was just about to call for Sasuke if he wanted to cuddle when a rather odd and disturbing sight called her attention.

"Is…is dog-boy sniffing a pair of panties?!"

Everybody's attention was immediately drawn to Kiba, who was in fact, holding the black fabric of Sakura's underwear in his fist, close to his nose.

He looked like he was high.

High on the scent of his best friend and close teammate.

"Kiba!"

He didn't even bother to raise his eyes to everyone else's. Nope, he was far too busy inhaling the damn thing.

A low whistle coming from the white haired boy called his attention.

"Whoa….you're more of a perv than I am!" Suigetsu said in an incredulous voice, a wicked grin on his face.

He didn't bother to deny it.

Naruto face palmed, Shikamaru yawned, Neji remained stoic (brushing aside the light blush across his usually pale cheeks) and Juugo looked the other direction, being a gentleman, much to the blonde's surprise.

Karin on the other hand, was glaring at Kiba as Suigetsu was congratulating him on how he got a hold of such a nice pair.

Blue eyes scanned their small group of faces, searching for a familiar yet haunting red and black gaze.

And when he did find it, he was beyond shocked at what he saw.

Sasuke looked…hungry.

There was no other way to describe it.

His eyes were half lidded, his posture tense and-wait…was he biting his lip?

Okay, Naruto knew that he must be imagining things.

He tried looking again.

Unfortunately, the moment had passed and so did his starved expression.

However he remembered the look Sasuke had made quite vividly.

It was exactly how he appeared after an entire day of training with Kakashi-sensei and no food in his belly.

The kind of expression Naruto makes when there's a hot, steaming bowl of ramen before him and he was starving.

But….why would the youngest Uchiha look at undies like that?

…Unless he wasn't after the lacy black fabric.

What if he was after the one who wore it?

Naruto, for the first time on this search party, was suddenly afraid of finding his teammate.

As they ran at breakneck speed, the demon container couldn't help but let his mind wander.

Sasuke didn't make his reasons for helping clear, so he was suspicious. Of course he was happy he could work again with his former teammate yet he was still cautious of the dark haired man's actions.

The blonde knew that His thoughts were far away in a dark and cruel place because he had come to a grim conclusion;

It wouldn't make a difference if they saved her from an enemy's clutches, only to have her back into another's.

* * *

Hidan grunted angrily as he shoved away a couple who was dry humping right there on the dance floor.

"Tch…assholes."

Now that he was suddenly reminded of sex, a part of him was still shocked at the fact that He had just turned down free and unattached sex with a decent pair of legs.

Why?

The answer came in the form of a quick tempered, feisty and so fucking beautiful pink haired medic, who he was seriously trying to find in the hoard of dancing people.

Okay, he'll admit it (not out loud, hell no) he was worried.

He was afraid that some perv would leer or even try touching his woman.

Hot damn.

Just thinking about her being his sent shivers of pleasure down his spine.

He pushed more people out of his way, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

Why the hell had he started feeling this way?

No, scratch that.

Since when did he start feeling in general?

All this time, it was all kill, blood and screams.

He was numb to all emotional feeling. All he felt was pain and the aftershock of mind-blowing pleasure.

That's all Hidan ever really looked forward to.

Hearing people plead for mercy, something he never even had in the first place.

Making people bleed, a sight that made his eyes light up in joy.

Shortening people's lives to lengthen his own.

All that, used to make him happy.

Well, it still does.

But it just wasn't the same anymore.

Instead of having the urge to kill for his own sick amusement, not to mention to please his god, he had the strange need to see Sakura smile.

Aw shit.

That sounded so fucking sappy and gay.

And weird thing was, he seriously didn't give a shit if it did.

Rather than hear people beg for pity (which he was not going to give) He'd prefer hearing her laugh.

It was a refreshing and happy sound.

Rather than make people leak out blood, he'd prefer doing something to make her eyes light up with joy. Or that awesome rage that never failed to excite him.

And rather than kill-

No wait….he'd still kill for fun.

The need to do so just wasn't as strong as before.

And that's what scared the living shit out of him.

This was completely foreign territory, where he was lost and had no idea what to do.

Hidan knew, that the more he was exposed to her, the more he would be less inclined to slice people's head off.

A part of him wanted to forget about her, to walk away and never look back.

However, if he did that, he wouldn't be able to see her cute smile again.

The jashinist would never have the pleasure of seeing rage (that he created and encouraged) in those expressive green eyes of hers.

He'd have to say good bye to everything about Sakura Haruno.

The annoying and bright pink hair.

The fiery and short temper.

And her smoking hot body.

…

No…

No fucking way in hell.

Hidan had no idea where this whole 'feeling' thing would take him, but as long as she was on the ride with him, he didn't give a fuck.

"Where is my bitch?"

Just as he asked that question out loud to no one in particular, a loud groan could be heard over the booming music.

"And don't you even think about grabbing my ass again. Because if you do, I swear to Kami that you will have to say good bye to your genitals!"

The silver haired nin smirked at the familiar yell of his woman.

As he walked over to the source of the groans, words flashed through his mind, explaining how he felt around the blossom.

Happy (when she was, how sappy was that?)

Turned on (especially when she was mad)

And….Damned.

A wicked and dangerous grin appeared on his lips the moment he spotted the pinkette standing over a sleazy old man, her sexy boot clad foot was pushing against the poor guy's windpipe.

His eyes immediately latched on to hers, which were green, fiery and so fucking angry.

Damned.

Yeah, that would be the perfect way to describe it.

He, Hidan of Akatsuki was condemned to fall.

To fall so fucking deep in love with Sakura Haruno, that he wouldn't be able to dream of escaping, not that he'd want to anyways.

* * *

PLEASE READ! Okay, first of all, I'm so very sorry it took so long to update this chapter, which is short and not in Sakura's POV. Please forgive me! Anyways, lots of love and thanks for my awesome, amazing and faithful reviewers. It makes my heart swell with happiness each time I get a new review. Lets make it to 800 people! Oh, and I'd really like to thank those who tai time out of their day to type out extremely long and beautiful reviews (not that I don't love the short ones) Okay, till' next time! Love you all ;) - VZ


	39. S t r i p

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

"Eh?! We have to what?!" He yelled, his bright blue eyes darkened after hearing what his friend had just said.

Several people glanced at the group of people with curiosity, especially the fuming blonde who had both his fists clenched in anger.

"I said we have to rest Naruto." Shikamaru drawled, leaning on the counter of the front desk where Neji was currently checking in.

He felt like exploding.

"Why should we do that? We're so close to Sakura-chan! We better get to her before something-"

"Nothing bad will happen to her dobe."

His eyes darted to Sasuke, cool and aloof as usual. He narrowed his eyes at him, picking up on the way he said his words. It sounded like he was perturbed or something like that.

"Oh yeah? How would you know that?" Naruto argued, his worry and anxiety growing each minute.

"I just do."

He face palmed at the Uchiha's words.

"She's so close! It's ridiculous to stay here when she's out there." He gestured to the door where lots of people were coming in.

Kiba and Karin had said that his pink haired medic was close. Just a few blocks away. And for some stupid reason, everyone agreed to rest at some hotel for a couple hours.

It didn't make sense to the blonde. Why would they call of their search when they were within the reach of Sakura-chan?

Didn't Shikamaru, kiba, even Neji want to find her?

Granted, they weren't as close to her as he was but he assumed that they would at least care if she were alive and well.

It seemed like the brunette had heard his thoughts for the Nara heir faced him with a tired and weary expression.

His eyes were droopier than usual and his shoulders were more slumped.

"Naruto. We all care about her. She's family, part of rookie nine. We know how much you want to find her but we can't go on without sleeping, even for a little while."

He was about to protest when Kiba butted in, his wolfish grin wasn't as wide or as intimidating. Instead it was just a tilt of the lips and even his stance appeared worn out.

"I can smell her Naruto. She's so damn close that we don't have to worry about losing her again."

Naruto shook his head vigorously, pleading with them to continue their search.

"But we're ninja! We can go on days without food or sleep."

This time, Neji intervened, holding two keys. He assumed that one was for Sasuke-teme's team and one was for them.

"We have Naruto. We've been running day and night to find her. And we will….after a few hours."

"Why do we have to wait?"

Kiba sighed and growled under his breath.

"We don't have the energy or stamina of the nine tailed fox Naruto. We gotta take a nap at some point."

For a moment, he felt slightly guilty.

He knew that he could go one for countless days thanks to his endless supply of chakra, thanks to the demon inside him. And his training with both his perverted sensei's had helped increase his endurance and power.

Naruto was about to plead, beg even but then he noticed the bags under his friends' eyes.

"….How long?"

Everyone, even team Hebi, sighed in relief to his question. Obviously, their team wasn't the only one tired.

"A few hours. That's all we need Naruto." Shikamaru murmured, grateful.

A while later, when everyone had left for decent beds and warm showers, a grunt caught the blonde's attention.

"Hn…"

"What is it Sasuke-teme? I'm not in the mood to watch you brood and act all emo."

The youngest Uchiha rolled his eyes.

"Fine…I'll just look for Sakura myself."

Instantly, He grabbed Sasuke's arm and stared at him.

Bright blue clashed with a haunting black.

"Why the hell would you want to look for Sakura-chan? You don't even care about her."

Naruto hated saying those harsh words but he needed to know.

He needed to know why he was here helping them find her.

Why he appeared out of nowhere to search for someone he supposedly hated for her weakness and compassion.

"Tch….dobe."

Sasuke pulled his arm back, his gaze unwavering.

"Aren't you grateful that I'm here? That I'm helping find her?"

His voice was just as cold and emotionless as before, maybe even more so.

It saddened Naruto how he had remained so untouched and unhappy. Yet he was also happy that he did not change.

"I am. Trust me, I'm thankful for your help but I need to know why. Why you just appear from thin air to find someone you don't care about."

It was silent for a while, and then he spoke. However his voice was different somehow.

"Don't ask questions you don't want to hear the answers to."

The Uchiha started walking away, towards the crowded streets.

"Oh shut up Teme! Just spit it out. Why the hell are you here?"

Naruto followed after him, weaving past drunkards and strippers.

"I'm here to find Sakura."

"But why?!"

He stopped abruptly facing the blonde with a twisted glint in his dark eyes.

"Because I need her."

If he was confused before, he was extremely baffled now.

"You…." He pointed at him, his blue eyes wide with shock.

"…._need_…." The demon container emphasized the word, wanting to be sure.

"….Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke nodded as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"But…why?" He repeated, only with less anger and more confusion.

The dark haired man before him suddenly smiled.

It was a wicked sort of grin that screamed 'crazy'.

Naruto watched as Sasuke's eyes glinted red, reminding him that this man…was a far cry from the boy he had once known.

"She is the key, the key to breaking my brother's heart."

* * *

"So…..rough night?" The male clerk at the front desk pointed to the ripped up dress she wore and the mussed up hair of both Hidan and Sakura, a perverse grin on his face.

"You could say that." She replied quickly, fiddling with the sleeves of her yukata.

"Hell yes, My woman here is a wildcat." He smirked, winking at her as they walked passed the leering man.

"Well, then you are a lucky man indeed."

The men shared a look before He grinned, slapping her rump lightly and holding her close, ignoring the curses that flew out her mouth in embarrassment of his actions.

"I know I am."

Although his movements were crude, his words and voice was unbearably tender and soft.

Sakura looked away from his devilish grin and hypnotizing purple eyes, a rosy blush rising to her creamy cheeks.

She didn't know what really happened.

Sure, she had always found the silver haired Akatsuki member attractive but this was completely different.

What the pinkette was feeling wasn't merely embarrassment; there was a mix of affection as well.

Inwardly, she face palmed for feeling something again for yet another famous criminal.

Why did she have to get infatuated with men who were mass murderers and wanted felons?

Was it because they were forbidden? Because they were so beyond her reach that it was far too tempting for her own good?

…

No.

It was because they were all so very handsome in their own unique ways.

As the pair made their way to the rooms Hidan had booked, her mind started to wander. Thinking about all the things she noticed and liked about them.

Deidara had a warm and inviting personality that just made her want more of his presence.

More of his smile, more of his caresses and more of his kisses.

Everything about him was infectious.

His laugh, which was a deep and wonderful sound that encouraged her to join in.

The way he always shoved his hands into his pockets to hide the grins on both his hands (yes, she noticed)

Or the way he would run his fingers through his blonde hair whenever he was nervous about something.

And how he always gave her space and time. Putting her before himself in every equation.

It was so damn chivalrous and sweet that it made her teeth ache once more.

The way his eyes lighted up, especially when he was creating with those artistic hands of his, making white and destructive creatures.

He was so exuberant when it came to his craft, his art. It was the kind of devotion that she so deeply admired. It reminded her of how she was so dedicated to healing, saving people. True, he destroyed was the complete opposite of what she does. Yet the way he spoke about his passion, it was so charismatic and joyful that she couldn't help but love his zeal and enthusiasm.

Every single thing about him made her smile and her stomach flutter with butterflies.

The blonde had ignited a flame within her that grew each time she thought about him.

His hot and passionate kisses.

His beautiful blue eyes.

And his gentle heart.

Who would have thought that the resident bomber of Akatsuki was such a gentleman?

She certainly didn't.

Suddenly, another image of a man appeared in Sakura's head. He was darker, colder compared to the warmth that was Deidara.

He definitely left an impression on her. Whether it was good or bad, she wasn't quite around the dark haired man thrilled and scared her at the same time. It was a feeling she wasn't used to.

He wasn't safe, the complete opposite actually.

Not that the pinkette thought he'd physically harm her. It's just that she wasn't sure how he'd react to anything she did.

Itachi Uchiha was an enigma.

One that she desperately wanted to solve.

There was a strange yet compelling appeal to be near him.

To be close to the man who was corrupted in every sense of the word.

It was commendable to say the least.

What made matters worse was how sinfully handsome he was.

That damn sexy smirk that made her toes curl and knees buckle.

The long dark hair that urged her to touch it, to see if it was as soft as it looked.

And his eyes…Not the famous sharingan….but the pitch black orbs that she wouldn't mind falling into.

Sakura always thought that the Uchiha was the very definition of dark.

Not only his appearance, it was his past and personality as well.

However, Sakura wondered how a dark, sullen and brooding man could spark such forbidden and wonderful emotions inside her, lighting up the world just a little bit each time he smiled.

The image of Itachi flickered before morphing into a familiar face. One that had slightly droopy hazel eyes and a tiny yet devilish smirk. Like he had a secret and you wanted nothing more than to find out.

Despite the fact that Sasori had almost killed her once, she felt so safe around him.

It might not have been the smartest thing to feel for a criminal who previously wanted her dead.

Yet Sakura couldn't find a trace of fear whenever she was in the company of the red head.

His calm and calculating nature showed how much of a deadly weapon he was.

His maturity and experience spoke volumes of his capabilities on the battlefield.

A battlefield she had been on twice.

The first was not a friendly spar.

No, it was a duel to the death.

The second on the other hand, was when Sasori did the strangest thing he could have done.

He kissed her.

Even though his caresses were scorching hot, the kiss she had really treasured from him was the one he had planted on her forehead.

It was an endearing and gentle gesture of affection that struck a deep chord within her.

It was in that moment that she trusted him completely.

The appealing image of Sasori soon vanished, leaving another picture of a man. A man who had silver hair, slicked back with a few strands hanging over hypnotic purple eyes.

Hidan was crude, rough and exceptionally rude.

And just as arrogant and maybe even crazy.

The words that left his mouth were either meant to insult or to spout vulgar words that made a seasoned sailor blush pink.

Not only that but the way he handled most situations were always violent and brutal.

And he was just so coarse and impudent that Sakura was sure that if the elders of her village ever met him, they would have a heart attack then and there.

Yet, even he wasn't a complete ass.

The silver haired nin was kind in his own barbaric way.

Sakura knew that he found pleasure (literally) in hurting and killing others, watching their blood pool on the ground.

And she wondered…why would a man who was so thoroughly immersed in death….make her feel most alive?

It was an odd notion, but that didn't make it any less true.

Hidan had lowered her inhibitions, even for the briefest of moments, and helped her simply feel.

And that was something she was not likely to forget.

Finally, Hidan's picture disappeared. And another replaced it. He was large, exceptionally so, and very blue. Sakura knew that he was a man, not a monster.

Kisame was one of the first Akatsuki members to show her any bit of kindness.

He made her feel less scared and alone.

The way he enjoyed sake and gambling reminded her so much of her mentor back in her village.

It gave her a sense of stability in the underground base that she eventually though of as her home.

Sometimes Sakura thought that without his easy going nature and kind words, she might not have eaten in the first place, and then she'd eventually starve to death at there. But no, that wasn't the case, not when a certain mist-nin was involved.

Before the pinkette could go further into her thoughts concerning her infatuation with the Akatsuki members, Hidan had opened the door and gently pushed her inside….with his hand on her rear.

Instantly, her hand collided with his cheek.

The echo of her well aimed slap made her blush slightly and him smile wickedly.

"You're back yeah." Deidara exclaimed, his face lighting up, making her blush even more.

Sakura could only hope that she wouldn't act so timid when around these handsome men.

"We were about to come look for you but we had to bring Kisame into the room before he slept on the floor yeah."

Her green eyes scanned the room quickly, searching for the mist-nin.

And she found him, currently snoozing on the bed, with drool dribbling down his chin.

A chuckle escaped her lips, making the men in the vicinity glance at her with matching looks of longing.

Unfortunately, Sakura was too busy laughing at the silly and cute picture of the infamous and ferocious Kisame, hung over on the bed, clinging to a pillow like how a child would hug his teddy bear.

It was a rather comical sight indeed.

The blonde must have seen her amused gaze because he spoke, a smile in his voice.

"I hope he'll never forget that Sakura-chan beat him at his own game."

Everyone in the vicinity knew that he was referring to their little drinking game last night, the one she had clearly dominated.

"It's highly doubtful."

The deep and velvety voice called her attention like a siren calling out to a sailor on the shore.

The medic-nin glanced at Itachi, who was lounging on the chair like how a king would sit on his throne.

It was almost unfair how he looked good at whatever he did. Regal and graceful even when doing such mundane things, such as sitting on a plain chair.

"Wait…where's Sasori?"

Everyone exchanged glances before the Uchiha answered, his lips tilting into a bemused smirk.

"Since I simply don't trust anyone else here-"

"Like we fucking trust you! Damn Uchiha…" Hidan interrupted with a sour look on his face.

"-to sleep in the same room as you, love….It's best that you share a room with Sasori."

Her heart skipped a beat when he uttered that endearment so lovingly, making her question if he really was a bad man.

How could someone supposedly evil share such an intimate look with her?

"Tch…I guess it's not a seriously bad idea. At least he wouldn't have a chance to try anything with you babe." Hidan said, pointing out the state Sasori was currently in.

Two pairs of eyes narrowed and turned into slits at the last word that left Hidan's lips.

"Well, you made sure of that didn't you Itachi?" Sakura muttered, rolling her eyes and placing her hands on her hips.

He rewarded her with a larger smirk, tucking a strand of inky black hair behind his ear.

It seriously annoyed her how Uchiha's could be so fluid and elegant in all their movements.

"What happened to your dress yeah?"

Deidara's eyes were glued to her ruined dress, which had slits up either side of her hips.

Embarrassment filled her at that moment.

"..Oh…..well, you see…." She was cut off by Itachi, who's voice was slightly more husky than it was a second ago.

"I'm sure everyone in the vicinity can see…..your lack of clothing that is."

The blush intensified.

Inwardly, she wondered when she could quell the blood that rose to her cheeks every time they spoke or came near her.

It really was silly how these men could affect her so much.

"I think she looks fucking great. Now stop looking seriously."

This was exactly what Sakura was talking about earlier. Hidan could be an ass, but he could be sweet too.

"She's my woman and no one else could be pervy but me."

Then again, she was wrong before.

"How many times do I have to say it? I don't belong to anybody."

The pinkette insisted, her eyes glaring daggers at the sexy as hell men in the room with her.

It was silent before Hidan spoke, his voice practically bubbling with excitement.

"Let's play a game babe. If you win-"

It seemed like the three men where in sync at that moment, because Deidara spoke and then Itachi followed.

"….Then we'll stop calling you ours, but if we win…"

Her eyes were suddenly engulfed in black, with Itachi looming over her, that sexy smirk painted on his sensual lips.

"….You will never leave us again…"

Sakura felt a pound of lead being dropped into her belly at his daunting voice, it was a formidable sound that chilled and excited her to the bone.

"So you up for it babe?"

She bit her lip anxiously, but stopped as soon as she noticed their eyes latch onto her slightly swollen lips.

"Depends…what's the game?"

This was a serious gamble. And the medic-nin was not going to play unless she knew the rules.

Purple, blue and black lighted up at her question.

Deidara was at her right side while the Uchiha was before her and the silver haired nin was at her left, all of them much to close for her own good.

The blonde's hand entwined with her own, squeezing it briefly as he offered a devilish smile. It was still warm and sweet, but it had a tinge of danger and eagerness.

Hidan leaned close and whispered enticingly into the shell of her ear while her eyes gazed deep into Itachi's.

"Strip poker."

* * *

Hope you liked it :) Sorry the last chapter was so short, and so, to make up for my lack of updates, I made this one longer :) Anyways, Lots of love and thanks to my wonderful, lovely and awesome reviewers :) You guys seriously ROCK! I love you all and hope you'll continue to read and review my story :D Till' next time ;) - VZ


	40. N a u g t h y - o r - N i c e

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

"E-excuse me?" Sakura choked, shocked beyond belief at Hidan's words.

Of all the games in the world, he picked that?

Her heart pounded, so loudly that she was sure everyone in the room could hear it palpitating in her chest.

Green eyes were wide as they stared straight into a hypnotizing shade of purple.

Of course she knew that he was capable of all sorts of perverseness, yet never before had she imagined him to suggest such a thing, and with a happy grin plastered on his face too.

"Sorry but, I think I've gone momentarily deaf for a moment there."

Her voice was slightly shaky and her eyes darted around the room, anywhere but those intense eyes.

"Why would you assume that, love?"

Her cheeks flared at the intimate endearment, one that Itachi had said with such tenderness that her heart skipped a beat.

"I thought Hidan said 'Strip Poker'."

Her voice was breathless, the flush on her cheeks red as roses.

At this, the jashinist chuckled.

The sound was deep, husky and excited her to no end.

"Of course I did babe."

Another endearment, another blush stained her creamy cheeks.

Sakura immediately turned her attention towards the hand that was gripping hers gently, kindly.

Deidara smiled.

It was warm and it encouraged her to smile back.

But how could she?

The blonde wanted this as much as the others did.

"So what? We fucking playing or not?" He grumbled, crossing his muscled arms and raising a silver eyebrow at her challengingly.

Oh she wanted nothing more than to accept his dare. Although there was a chance she could lose.

And it wasn't money they were betting on. It was her life….and her clothes.

Just thinking about shedding her dress made butterflies erupt in her stomach.

No, it wasn't that she was a prude.

The pinkette knew how to let loose and have some fun, contrary to belief.

It's just that it might not be the best game to play with men who were currently pining for her.

Hell, she wanted to play.

And there was a good chance the pinkette could win.

Sure, she and her mentor had lots of similarities. Such as her fiery and short temper, her strong fists and not to mention her healing abilities.

However the one skill she had not acquired from her teacher was her exceptional losing streak.

Yet….if she did win….then she'd be stuck in a room with three enticing, muscled and naked men, men who all had a place in her heart, and she in theirs.

The temptation was there, growing each passing second, yet she couldn't agree. Not when so much was at stake.

With a reluctant voice, she declined.

"Nope." Her short pink locks waved slightly as she shook her head, a defiant expression on her pretty face.

"Why not yeah?" Deidara questioned, his hand still entwined with hers.

"I just can't. It's just-"

Hidan abruptly cut her off, his purplish eyes glinting dangerously.

"Too dirty for you?"

His condescending tone caught her off guard, and so did the arm that encircled her waist.

"Aw, you really can't handle the city of sin can you?"

Pink eyebrows furrowed at his patronizing tone.

"It's not that…." She trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

"Then what's fucking stopping you hm?"

"I-i…"

It was getting hard to concentrate when there was a hard body pressed deliciously against hers.

It took a moment for her to realize that the arm belonged to Hidan, and he was now pulling her in, closer and closer to his muscled form, if that was even possible.

"Let go Hidan…now." Sakura warned him, tilting her head backwards so that she wouldn't brush her lips against his jaw or neck.

"No way in fucking hell babe."

"You are such an ass." The growl left her lips, making all the men in the vicinity smile in amusement.

"I have one. And it's sexy as hell."

"That's what you think." She rolled her eyes, pouting in the process.

Hidan licked his lips, his eyes now half lidded and his gaze hotter than ever before.

"Tch….whatever.I've seen you ogling this fine piece of meat."

Sakura couldn't help her eyes as they followed his hand, which trailed a path down his stomach, hips then his….behind.

The blush came back full force.

It really was irritating how these men affected her.

One minute she would be normal and the next she would blush like crazy and bite her lower lip nervously again.

"I do not!"

"Like hell you don't."

"I…don't."

"Yeah right."

She sighed exasperatedly before looking away.

"Knock it off Hidan. I just don't want to play. Deal with it."

He smirked as she shook her head once more.

"You shy?"

She was so close that she could feel his hot breath as it fanned across her exposed neck.

To her surprise, Deidara's hand had inched up the length of her arm. The mouth on his palm leaving brief yet scalding butterfly kisses as he made his way up her limb.

"Dei, what are you-"

"You don't have to be yeah. We all know how beautiful you are."

After hearing the blonde's complement, Sakura was sure that she resembled a tomato or a cherry.

"That's not why I don't want to play."

She shook her head once more, biting her lower lip, hoping and dreading the moment they would leave her alone.

"Then enlighten us my blossom. It's a simple wager. Why refuse our offer?"

Itachi had now joined in; as he spoke, the length of his nose was caressing the curve of her cheek. Maybe it was a wrong move tilting her head back like that to get away from the silver haired nin. For now the long column of her neck was exposed to Itachi's hungry gaze and sinful mouth. But to her surprise, he didn't take the opportunity to ravish her there, instead he turned his attention to her hand. Once he had a firm yet gentle grip on her, he brought up her other hand to kiss her fingertips. One by one, and then he worked on her knuckles, palm and wrist….and he was still moving higher.

"B-because…..."

Because there was too much at stake.

Her life.

Her freedom.

Wait…Did she even want to escape anymore?

No.

But she had to.

As a medic-nin and a citizen of her village, she had responsibilities to attend to.

People to take care of.

A family to love.

Friends that are waiting for her to return.

And as much as she loved being with them….She couldn't stay.

Deidara used his other hand to caress the exposed skin of her thigh.

But being the gentleman he was, he didn't venture to high.

A part of her wished he would.

The mouth on his palm puckered its lips slightly, leaving a lingering kiss on her leg.

Sakura couldn't think.

How could she?

When three amazing men were driving her insane with touches, kisses and beautiful words.

And what made things even stranger, was how they were doing it at the same time, with no arguing at all.

It was a confusing notion to say the least.

Sakura knew that they still held a torch for her, each burning as bright as the sun, so why would they agree to sharing?

The medic-nin glanced at each one of them, lingering at the determination in their eyes.

No, they weren't sharing.

They have come to an unspoken agreement.

And that was to make sure she never left them again.

To convince her to play and make sure she lose.

All this so that she wouldn't leave them.

Did they want her to stay that much?

Her heart throbbed almost painfully at the realization that these hardened criminals, these wonderful men, cared for her so deeply.

Yet it still didn't make sense to her how they could fancy such a boring, plain girl who had a large forehead.

Oh, if only she knew.

Sakura wasn't sure if she should feel excitement or dread, maybe both.

The sensations and feelings swirling and building up in her body were tremendous, making her feel high and alive. Yet she was still oh so very conflicted.

"Hn…."

The grunt commanded her attention, which she gave reluctantly. In all honesty, she was afraid to look into those dark depths that made her forget all common sense and think of only him, only Itachi.

"Agree to our proposal."

It was a command, one that she had no problem refusing.

"No way Itachi. I can't….besides, it's perverted. I'm not surprised Hidan would agree to this but you and Dei?" She wondered, her expressive green eyes shining with curiosity.

The Uchiha raised a dark eyebrow while he spoke, his voice smooth as velvet.

"We are men Sakura. Would you expect anything less from us? Especially when we are tempted by the very personification of desire and sin?" Itachi murmured huskily, his eyes half lidded and his dark hair was unbound, giving him a wild and sexy appearance that simply made her mouth water.

_Oh Kami in heaven above…_

He couldn't possibly be talking about her…could he?

She looked around and saw all their expressions were the same.

Hungry.

And something told her that they weren't craving for food.

Heat sparked in her heart….and some other parts of her.

Sakura could have face palmed if not for the rather heated situation she was in right now.

How was she supposed to sort out her emotions concerning Akatsuki's men when said men were presently distracting her with scorching kisses and charming words?

"No."

This time it was the blonde who asked why, his voice gentle, coaxing her to reply.

"I don't want to play with you guys because…."

With the strength she didn't knew she had, Sakura steeled her voice and straightened her back.

No, they would not overpower her this time.

There would be no more manhandling or seducing on their part.

Not until she knew whom she wanted to be seduced by.

True, the medic-nin wanted all of them. However she knew it was wrong to be so greedy.

And so, she narrowed her eyes and stood taller. Confidence was now oozing from her every pore, giving her the gall to open her mouth and speak the words that she so desperately wanted to say.

For tonight, in the city of sin, She would make every man that deemed her innocent regret ever saying such things.

She was Sakura Haruno, apprentice of the slug princess, healer extraordinaire and she was going to give every man hell tonight.

With her lips tilting into a wicked smirk, and her eyes shooting out emerald flame, She spoke.

"…I don't want to watch three grown men cry when they lose to an _innocent_ little girl."

She made sure to emphasize the innocent part, glaring defiantly.

The touches and kisses halted as the men stared at her in complete and utter surprise.

…..

The silence was suddenly broken by laughter.

Laughter that spilled from the lips of a very drunk, and a very blue mist-nin, who was on the bed, wiping drool off his face.

When Kisame's guffaws didn't die down a few minutes later, Hidan finally snapped and yelled at the large man.

"What the hell are you laughing about fish-face?!"

Kisame snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Fish-face, Hic-Ha! That's real-hic-creative Hidan."

"Just answer the fucking question."

It was silent once more, and then he spoke, his voice filled with amusement and glee.

"She's gonna –hic- kick all your asses. I'm telling ya –hic-not to underestimate my angel – hic- right there." He pointed to Sakura, a lazy grin on his face.

She smirked and gave the three much more sober men a pointed look, gesturing to Kisame who had lost a bet to her earlier tonight.

But of course, this didn't deter them in the slightest.

Not when there was a chance she could stay with them. Not as a prisoner but something more, a friend? A lover perhaps? Although the only question was, whose?

"I ain't fucking crying for you tonight babe. Although I might be willing to give you my cloak when that fine ass of yours is bare thanks to my fan-fucking-tastic poker skills." Hidan bragged, brandishing a deck of cards from his pocket.

A part of Sakura was wondering where he had gotten it and if he was planning this from the very beginning. But she couldn't delve into it right now. Not when she was high as a kite, but not on any drug or ecstasy. Instead she was high on the need and desire to win.

Right now, she was acting on impulse.

_Act first, think later._

**That's my girl**. Inner growled in approval, patting her on the back.

_You know it._ She replied, her confidence growing.

Even her other self was on her side. Now there was no way she could lose.

**Go on girl, give em' hell.**

Her green eyes practically sparkled with excitement.

She was really doing this. Playing in a dangerous gamble, one that could very well cost her everything.

Was she prepared to lose all that?

Sakura glanced at all of them, drinking in their eager and handsome faces.

_Oh Kami yes. _

"You really shouldn't underrate your opponent like that Hidan. Who knows? Maybe you'll be needing my dress when you're wearing absolutely nothing."

The pinkette's smirk widened, making her look devilish, alluring and positively beautiful.

"Bring it on babe, give me all you've got."

"I don't think you can handle it, especially you Hidan-kun."

His eyes lighted up at her endearment.

"Trust me Sakura-chan, We can handle anything you have to give yeah." Deidara said, his blue eye was shining with adoration and fervor.

"Are you ready, love?"

The Uchiha whispered, his hand now also gripping hers, tightly. As if he was afraid that if he let go.

"For what?" She wondered out loud, swallowing her fear and forging ahead.

Suddenly, her head was directed to the side, facing Itachi whose fingers were grasping her chin gently.

His voice was haunting and intimate. His face was serious yet filled with eagerness and affection as he spoke. And his words, they resounded deep within the depths of her soul.

"To become ours."

* * *

"Sasuke-teme!"

"Hn…"

"Don't you 'Hn' me! I'm serious." The blonde pouted and crossed his arms, glaring at the youngest Uchiha.

"That's a first." He replied casually, to which Naruto groaned in frustration.

"Come on, we've been walking for forever! Just where is she?"

Sasuke stopped moving and turned on his heel, walking to him with a blank expression on his face.

Although he had been his teammate for a while, no matter how long ago, they still had a connection. At least, that's what he'd like to think.

This is why Naruto knew that he saw a teensy crack in that armor that Sasuke used to hide all his emotions.

His dark brows were slightly furrowed, his stance stiffer that usual and his jaw was tight.

It didn't take a genius to see that even the human ice cube had feelings and was just as anxious to find Sakura-chan.

Sakura-chan…..

Naruto really wish he didn't ask why he needed the pink haired medic.

But now it was too late.

Now he knew why Sasuke was so pliant and eager to help find her.

Now he knew why Sasuke wanted her safe and sound.

It was so that he could endanger her himself.

Well, the teme didn't make it clear how he was planning to use her to break his brother's heart.

Actually, why would she be the key?

This just didn't make sense!

"Dobe."

His attention was suddenly on the dark haired man before him, who looked almost…irritated.

If he wasn't so worried and confused about the whole situation, he would have pointed it out and laughed, claiming that even he had emotions.

"Teme."

Dark eyes rolled at his reply.

"We've only been walking for five minutes."

"It felt longer than that." He grumbled, scratching the back of his blonde head sheepishly. Much like before in their genin days.

"Tch….just focus dead last."

For a moment, Naruto wondered if had lost his hearing.

His blue eyes searched the face of the stoic missing-nin, who had one hand on the hilt of his sword as he leaned casually to the side.

For the briefest of moments, he thought he saw the old Sasuke Uchiha, not the cold-hearted monster before him. But the boy he had constantly tried to surpass yet never could.

And so, with the first smile he made in days, he grinned and replied with a thumbs up to his former teammate.

"Of course Sasuke-teme!"

Was it his imagination, or did Sasuke actually smirk?

* * *

"Fuck yes!"

Sakura grinded her teeth at Hidan's triumphant yell.

"Strip for me baby." He growled out, practically bouncing on his seat.

With a smirk, she removed her shoe.

"Hey no fair bitch!"

The pinkette gave him a mock pout and furrowed her pink brows in pretend sadness.

"Too bad Hidan-kun, shoes count as an item."

Rolling his purplish eyes, he waved his hand in defeat.

"Tch…whatever. But it doesn't matter cause' you'll still end up fucking naked by the end of this game."

"You'd like that wouldn't you." She muttered, biting her lower lip, unaware of the men following her every movement and the desire burning in their eyes.

"I wouldn't just fucking like it…."

He dropped his voice into a huskily drawl that chilled and excited her at the same time.

"I'd fucking love it."

Hidan leaned forward, the muscles on his chest rippling with each movement he , he was now shirtless thanks to her winning hand five minutes ago.

Green eyes scanned the room, taking note of her wins and losses.

Itachi was still clothed, Deidara had removed his shirt just like Hidan and she was still covered.

There had only been three rounds.

With her winning twice, resulting in two shirtless Akatsuki members.

Although Sakura had just lost to the jashinist, who only got to see the bare skin of her foot.

She smirked at his obvious disappointment, it was flattering (yet perverse) to say the least.

Her hand gripped the cards tightly, making sure to hold them close and always within reach.

True, nobody has cheated so far….but she wouldn't put it past them, They are ninja after all.

Plus, the rules were simple.

Basically, the winner of each round had the power to force whoever they wanted to strip.

Unfortunately for her, none of them wanted to see each other bare.

"I win."

The smooth and velvety voice of Itachi called to her, effectively bringing her out of her musings.

"What?"

He held up his cards with a sinful smirk and a mischievous glint in his dark eyes.

Reluctantly, She removed her other shoe.

Alright, so she still had her clothes.

That was a good thing right?

Wait…

Sakura was wearing a dress.

As in, just one piece of cloth.

And all she had underneath was her chest bindings, a bra and her undies.

Oh Kami help her.

She had to win, there was no other way.

Either that or she would not only be stark naked but she would also lose her freedom.

And as much as she wanted to sit and stare at their godlike muscles and bodies, the medic-nin had much more important matter to attend to. Such as…..

….

Damn...Those muscles...abs...

"Sakura-chan, Get your head in the game yeah."

A blush rose to her cheeks.

"Oh….right, thanks Dei."

She tried averting her eyes from his tanned and exposed chest, she really did.

"Don't thank me yeah. After all, you're losing."

Although he said it with a frown, She could sense his happiness. It was evident in his lone blue eye, glimmering with mirth and excitement.

"Losing? I think you've got that wrong Dei."

The pinkette was about to gesture to his chest and Hidan's body when he raised his hand.

The mouth on his palm was grinning as he held up his cards.

Her jaw literally dropped.

"HELL YES!"

"Dei…"

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan." He shrugged cutely, shoving his grinning hands into the pockets of his pants, which were hanging low on his hips, giving her a wonderful view of his-

"Strip Strip Strip!" Hidan was chanting, an eager smile on his face.

"You don't look or sound sorry Dei." Sakura grumbled, crossing her arms.

He merely shrugged once more.

"Fine…."

She undid the sash around her waist, trying to ignore the heated and intense stares of the men around her.

With a blush staining her cheeks, she let the ruined yukata fall to her shoulders, down her body and pool at the ground near her feet.

She was tempted to cross her arms once more and shield herself, yet she had a feeling it would only put more attention to her pathetic excuse for breasts.

Being the oblivious and insecure girl she was, Sakura didn't hear the words or notice the glances the Akatsuki members shared with each other.

"Sweet Jashin save me." Hidan said reverently, letting his eyes wander over her body shamelessly, lovingly.

"Damn." Deidara couldn't help but say as his gaze roved over her beautiful body, although she had scars, it only testified her strength and endurance, which made her even lovelier than before.

"Who would have assumed that famous, S-ranked criminals….would fall for a pink haired girl."

"What?" The blonde asked, glancing at the Uchiha, who was busy eye-raping his Sakura-chan.

"We're all pathetic, caring for someone, it's a weakness we shouldn't have."

The blonde raised his eyebrow at the odd words leaving the Uchiha's mouth.

"Hey, I thought you felt something for her yeah."

"I do." He nodded. "Yet the more I feel for her, the greater my weakness becomes."

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the dark haired man who sighed before explaining, his eyes never leaving her smooth and creamy form.

"She is Kisame's angel, My blossom, Hidan's…babe (he sneered as he said this certain word) Your Sakura-chan, Sasori's doll….And Akatsuki's personal medic."

"…I still don't see how you'll get weaker." Deidara murmured.

Itachi pursed his lips slightly before replying.

"Don't you see? We consider her ours…and we are hers. She controls us."

For once, Hidan didn't care that Itachi was talking, he agreed with the stuck up Uchiha.

"We are already condemned, damned. Sinners like us don't deserve an angel like her."

"Talkative today aren't we Uchiha?" Deidara commented, a slight smirk on his lips.

He simply Hn-ed (Kami he hated that sound) and continued to stare at Sakura, who was busy looking everywhere but them.

"He's right. We're not good enough for her. I bet we'll all see each other on the highway to hell."

He said sadly, hoping that She would choose him. That even if he wasn't worthy of her love, She'd give it anyway.

"So what? I don't give a shit if I rot in the deepest pits of hell." Hidan said, a crazy ass grin on his face.

His purplish eyes clashed briefly with a shy green.

"Just as long as I get to see her before I die."

* * *

"Have you seen a woman with pink hair?" The dark haired man asked the clerk who was blushing profusely as she stared at his good looks.

"Uh...what?" Her voice was dreamy and bubbly, making the blonde next to the man roll his bright blue eyes.

"Have you seen our friend? She's not that tall, really pretty..has green eyes."

"Um...I did see a girl like that somewhere around here." The lady looked around before speaking.

"Where?" He commanded, the look in his eye was desperate.

"Upstairs, she was with some other men."

"Care to describe one of them?" His nicer, much more tanned companion asked.

"Hm...there was the awfully large fellow, came in drunk with a blonde and...a man that looks like your friend over here." She gestured to Sasuke.

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Although he did have longer hair and...where'd your friend go?"

The blonde looked to his left then right before face palming.

"Oh great."

* * *

Ta-da! hope you liked it :) Sorry I took so long to update. I have school every monday to friday but I'll still try to update as much as I can. Anyways, I love and adore my awesome and amazing reviewers, who stick by me even through slow updates and short chapters. You guys ROCK! THis is only part 1 of the game. The next one is where the real chaos begins. :) - VZ


	41. T r u t h - o r - L i e ?

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

Sakura watched as Hidan stripped.

Very…

Very…

VERY Provocatively.

His hands moved agonizingly slow towards the waistband of his pants, his fingertips briefly lingering on his muscled chest and toned stomach.

As expected, Inner drooled and she blushed.

The silver haired nin didn't even bother getting up and off his chair to slip his pants off.

No, he wanted to make a spectacle of it. Instead, he lifted his hips slowly as his fingers looped under the fabric.

Green eyes looked into purple, finding nothing but arrogance, lust and humor.

Purely Hidan.

And it made Sakura bite her lower lip nervously once more.

She just sat there helplessly while he arched his back slightly and tilted his chin up, slowly and sensually slipping out of his pants inch by inch.

The room suddenly felt very hot.

And his half lidded, smoldering gaze didn't help matters either.

"Just take the damn thing off yeah!"

The irritated voice of Deidara broke the moment, bringing her out of her lust filled haze.

Although Hidan merely smirked and did it even slower, if that was even possible.

The blonde grumbled and crossed his arms, the muscles in them flex and move.

With an evil little smirk of her own, She glanced at her cards.

The smirk widened.

Thankfully, the pinkette was now catching up, winning four rounds and losing absolutely none.

Which explained why Itachi was wearing nothing but his pants.

Sakura never knew that the Uchiha would be so pale….or so attractive under the baggy Akatsuki cloak he always wore.

His flesh was pale and unmarred, perfect and supple that even she felt jealous of his flawless skin.

His muscles were sinewy and impressive. Not too bulky or too small, just right.

Simple put, his body was lithe and graceful.

She could practically feel his smirk, so she looked away with a neutral and almost bored expression on her face.

There was no way she was going to let him know how affected she was by his mere presence, especially when unclothed.

* * *

"Sasuke-kuuuuuun?"

"He's not here bitch." Kiba grumbled, burrowing his head into the pillow in hopes of drowning out the shrieks that left the red head's lips almost every damn second.

"What? Why? Where is he?"

"grjigmsfd…" The brunette mumbled incoherently, already half way to dream land filled with black panties and pink hair.

"Dog boy! I asked you a question!"

The other members of the combined search parties either snored or continue to sleep, completely unaware of her tantrum.

"What?!" Karin yelled, making Kiba and his loyal canine friend whimper pathetically.

"Go away….."

"I will, when you tell me where my Sasuke-kun is!"

That was it for Kiba.

That ugly, shrill cry was just about the last straw.

He leaped out of bed and landed on all fours with his white dog growling beside him.

His brown hair was wild and spiky, his eyes red and filled with hate for the red headed woman who had robbed him of his Wonderful (perverted) dreams.

Kiba pointed to the door, his other hand clenched in a tight fist.

"Please, I just want some sleep! Just go out search for him yourself."

Before she could even open her mouth to yell out another word, He showed her his claws.

"I suggest you keep your mouth shut and sleep like everyone else, or leave."

Karin disappeared before he even got the chance to finish his sentence.

* * *

"...Staring is really rude you know." The pinkette muttered, her toes curling at the heated stares she was receiving from three hungry looking men.

"Hn.."

"Got it yeah."

"Who gives a shit?"

Rolling her green eyes, Sakura shifted nervously in her seat.

"I do. And would you guys quit looking at me?"

Deidara couldn't help it, he honestly couldn't.

Not when there was an almost naked woman sitting next to him.

The blonde sighed inwardly. It wasn't like he wanted to sound so perverted. Well, he was a man. He simply couldn't help it sometimes.

His blue eye glanced at the blushing blossom to his right, feeling his heart skip a beat at the sight of her beautiful green eyes, creamy skin and the way she would nibble on her lower lip whenever she was nervous. It was a very endearing and cute trait that made him want nothing more than to hug her like a child would cuddle with his or her favorite toy.

But Sakura wasn't a toy. She was a fully-grown, sexy as hell, fiery woman that made him question his loyalty and sanity.

And he wasn't a child. No, Deidara was a warm-blooded, man in his prime who had needs.

Needs that he wished a certain medic-nin would personally help him with.

With the use of her hands…..lips…..tongue….

His pants instantly became much too tight.

The blonde felt a blush rise to his face at the sudden turn his thoughts had taken.

Yes, he constantly tried to be a gentleman for her sake, but he couldn't quell the lust flaring inside him.

Staring at her was perverted enough, but having fantasies about her while she was right next to him?

…

Kami he was pathetic.

He gripped his hand of cards, peering at her from the gold curtain of his bangs.

Just how did she do this to him?

Make Deidara of Akatsuki, bomber extraordinaire fall for her?

His eyes took in the graceful column of her neck, her slightly swollen lips and her bashful demeanor.

Hell, what crazy bastard wouldn't fall for her?

Deidara would have never thought that the little pink haired brat, who had actually pulled his hair, would be the one to capture his poor excuse of a heart.

It was a shriveled up thing that was black and had no room for anything else other than explosions, his art and death.

He smiled at the way she ignored his horrid past and terrible choices.

Instead of fleeing from his touch, rejecting his love, She welcomed it.

Sakura, his Sakura-chan, had nurtured and helped the dead thing in his chest come back to life.

And there was no way he was going to lose her to his fellow Akatsuki members.

* * *

"Sasuke-teme! Wait up for me!" Naruto yelled, his bright blue eyes narrowing on the dark haired man who looked positively crazy.

His dark eyes had a twisted glint and the air surrounding him was malicious.

But then again, he wasn't going to ask why.

For the first time in this entire journey, he knew the answer.

Only one person in the entire world could make Sasuke act like a mad man.

Itachi Uchiha was here.

"Tch…keep up dobe. I don't have time for mediocrity, especially yours."

Ouch, that stung.

However Naruto didn't expect any less from his former teammate.

* * *

He could tell that Hidan and Deidara hadn't seen her nude. The way they greedily took in the ravishing sight that was Sakura Haruno, it was obvious that this was their first time seeing her so….exposed.

A smirk appeared on his lips.

Itachi had already seen Sakura unclothed, naked.

He was the first one she had bared herself to, the first man to see her as a woman.

He had seen everything she had to offer.

And he planned to devour everything she had to give.

At the inn on the day she had escaped, which was a rather sly trick, using her body to distract him. Although he did commend her ability to overcome her bashfulness and act like how a true kunoichi should.

However, where was that confidence now?

Of course he found the sultry side of her tempting beyond belief, yet the shy and innocent (Though his blossom fervently disagreed) part of her was just as alluring and charming.

Itachi watched as the brazen woman who had challenged them so bravely vanish the second she had shed her ruined yukata, revealing her scarred skin.

There was a particularly large mark at the side of her body; it was mystery that she had yet to disclose to him.

However, the Uchiha found her marred skin enticing. It spoke of how strong she was.

How compassionate….peace loving…..

For once in his life, Itachi wanted to be selfish.

He had already sacrificed his life for the idiotic ideals of the village of fire, he didn't plan to waste whatever life he lad left without her.

Sensing her discomfort, He spoke up.

"I have an idea."

Itachi was pleased to see her head immediately turn to his direction, a flush on her cheeks.

All heads turned to him now, curious and suspicious expressions on all their faces.

"Since the blossom here is uncomfortable, why not change the game?"

Gratitude flashed in her green eyes.

"How exactly yeah?"

"We forget the cards and play another." He said, the emotionless mask on his face in place.

"No way in fucking hell! We're just getting to the good part!" Hidan yelled, crumpling the cards in his hand.

As if the silver haired-nin hadn't opened his mouth, he continued to speak, his voice completely neutral.

"It's called truth or lie. I assume you know the rules of this particular game?" He raised one dark brow in question to the pinkette.

Sakura nodded, putting down her cards as she did so.

Deidara raised a blonde eyebrow, partly in confusion and partly in curiosity.

Itachi saw this and sighed, already tired from explaining basic knowledge to the bomber.

Thankfully, his blossom jumped in, saving him the trouble from clarifying the rules.

"Well…okay, one person says something true and the other false. And someone else, it doesn't matter who, has to guess which is the lie."

"Sounds easy enough yeah." He says, a small smile on his tanned face.

"Perfect." The dark haired man purred slightly, making sure to make a brief yet heated eye contact with the only girl in the vicinity.

As expected, she flushed a lovely shade of pink, reminding him of roses, or cherry blossoms.

"Like hell it is." Hidan sulked as he leaned back on his chair, spreading his legs and displaying his chest.

"Hn…"

"Got something to say Uchiha?" He growled menacingly, upset that he had put a stop to their little game of strip poker. And just when he was about to see-

"Wait, wait….what about the bet?" The blonde questioned, the mouths on each of his palms frowned.

"Oh yeah! What the fuck now Uchiha?" He asked, sneering at the emotionless man.

All eyes turned to him once more.

He merely put his elbows on the table, placing his jaw regally over his linked fingers and replied in a calm and steady voice.

"It's simple."

His eyes immediately latched onto the form of Sakura, greedy for more of her creamy skin.

"Our blossom over here has to guess correctly….three times." He gestured to himself and the men on either side of him with the tilt of his head.

"Do you think you know us well enough to win, love?"

The men next to him shifted uneasily at the endearment he gave the pink haired medic.

His lips twitched into a small smirk.

As his dark hair fell to the side, Itachi waited for her response and reaction.

The silence that followed was deafening, three pairs of eyes all directed at her form.

Sakura took a deep breath, shutting her eyes tightly before exhaling a few moments later.

To his utmost satisfaction and surprise, She raised her head and gave him a determined look, mischief shining in those viridian depths.

"Of course I do. I am Akatsuki's personal medic after all."

* * *

"Incompetent…..idiotic…pathetic…."

Naruto sighed, tired of hearing Sasuke curse the lady downstairs with venom fit for a snake.

"It's your fault for leaving so early, you should've asked her which floor and room Sakura-chan was in."

The blonde said, unaware of the deadly glare sent his way.

"Tch…then why didn't you do it dobe?" He growled, gripping the hilt of his sword so tight that his entire fist turned white from the effort.

The blonde shrugged carelessly.

Sasuke hned…angrily….if that was even possible.

True, he was still seriously worried for his pink haired medic. Yet knowing that she was in the same building as him, so close, he didn't feel the need to be as scared as before.

"Pitiful….hopeless…."

He snorted.

Sasuke glared at him and continued muttering.

Plus, he found an infuriated Uchiha amusing.

* * *

Sakura was sure she wasn't the only one who felt the change in the air.

The moment those words left her lips; she could practically feel the satisfaction rolling of the dominant males in the vicinity.

"Fuck yeah. You belong with us, no one else." Hidan proudly stated, giving her a saucy look and a wink.

If it weren't for the tender look in his eye, she would have rebuked him.

And that was the point of this entire game right?

To escape them?

However she couldn't say no when he had such heartfelt emotions swirling in those hypnotizing purple eyes.

"Oh Kami…I honestly don't know why men are so…so…"

She pursed her lips and furrowed her pink brows in confusion.

"Sexy."

"Artistic." She shook her head at Deidara's answer and simply rolled her eyes at Hidan's reply.

"Possessive."

Her eyes lighted up at the word.

"Exactly!"

Her state of undress forgotten, Sakura nodded her head and started speaking, the words flowing out of her easily, despite the heated gazes and lingering stares.

"Men think that they can get away with labeling a woman as theirs, when in reality I think it's-"

Once again, she was interrupted by the semi-naked men in the vicinity.

"Sexy."

"A bang."

"Irritating."

The pinkette tried to ignore how Itachi seemed to be reading her mind and finishing her sentences.

It was much too creepy and precise.

Did he really know her that well?

Wait….

If he knew how annoyed she felt whenever he called her his….was he doing this just to rile her up?

Green eyes searched his briefly.

Sakura inwardly face palmed at the devilish smirk pasted on his sensual lips.

The slight tilt of his mouth and the warm look in his eye was enough of an answer for her.

And so, she went on, her eyes darting to each Akatsuki member. Not Kisame though, he was the only one who hadn't treated her that way or claimed her like that.

"It's ridiculous how you guys are, calling me yours when I am not an object or a prize to be won."

Yes, the line was horribly cliché, yet it suited the situation perfectly.

She felt that it was time to let these attractive (sexy as hell) and powerful men realized how frustrating it is to be claimed.

Alright, it could be romantic, maybe even exciting. However Sakura Haruno was a capable woman who was her own person. No way was she going to be dragged left and right being called 'mine'.

The males around her turned serious all of a sudden and the happy and light-hearted atmosphere faded instantly.

"You are right my blossom…our actions may have been rather barbaric." Itachi started, his voice calm and level as always.

"But seriously, how can you fucking expect us to not call you ours?" Hidan muttered, his silver eyebrows raising.

Sakura made sure to keep her eyes on his face, not his body.

**No, I forbid you to look away! **

_We shouldn't…..it's wrong to…peek…_

**Who says?! Besides, he did plenty of peeking if I recall. Now stop talking and start looking! **

…_No…. _

Her resolve was crumbling.

**I wonder if he's boxers or briefs…..** Inner said, tempting her.

…

**Or maybe he goes commando…**

_O-kay! I'm not listening anymore._ Sakura proceeded to shut her other self out for the rest of the night.

**You'll regret it! **

Once Inner was safely locked away in the recesses of her mind, she inwardly sighed.

…_I know._

With a blush (big surprise there) She shifted in her seat, the cards in her hand forgotten.

"Well? I'm waiting over here babe." He said, cocky as always.

"Because…" The medic-nin trailed off, unsure of how to go on.

"You're way too tempting for your own good yeah." The blonde in the group rakishly said, his blue eye shining with mischief.

Her eyes were instantly glued to her hardly covered body.

Sensing her discomfort, Hidan jumped in.

"Oh hell….you do know that it's not just your smoking hot body that tempts us right?"

He questioned, his tone bordering on incredulous.

The only female in the room fidgeted under the intense stares they were giving her.

"Hey Sakura-chan, trust me when I tell you that it's more than that yeah."

His soft and tender voice pulled at her heartstrings, making her feel awful for even thinking that the resident bomber of Akatsuki only saw her for her body.

This was Deidara, gentlemanly, cute and mischievous.

"Thanks Dei, I appreciate it."

She gave him a smile, which of course, made him smile in return.

"Tch…enough with this sappy shit. Let's just play. I don't want my babe leaving Akatsuki again."

The smile abruptly vanished.

Thoughts and worries swirled and sped through her mind.

Was she going back to Konoha?

Did she want to?

_No..._

**Geez, Don't bother lying to yourself. It won't work**

…_.._

**We both know the answer to that. ** Inner said, breaking free of her mental restraints and answering her worries. Yet this time, her voice was neither longer patronizing nor teasing. It was solemn and calm, which surprised Sakura greatly.

The pinkette glanced at the three men.

Itachi, dark, mysterious and powerful.

Deidara, kind, sweet and sensitive.

And Hidan, brutish, violent, and exciting.

_No_.

There was no way She could escape these men without leaving her heart behind.

* * *

"Hey teme."

"Hn?..."

"Why don't we search for her chakra signature. I mean, we might not be as accurate or as good as your teammate….but it's worth a shot."

Naruto turned, only to find nothing behind him.

"Not again!" He threw up his hands in pure exasperation.

* * *

"Sakura."

It felt like her name itself was a caress, spoken so intimately and softly, despite the other members in the room.

She looked up and met his eyes, only to reel in shock at the sight of his inky black gaze.

Wait….why would he turn off his sharingan?

…

Oh no….

Itachi only exposed himself like this whenever something big was going to happen.

Like when he had kissed her.

Oh Kami….

"I will kill my brother."

Lead, pounds of it, was dropped into her belly.

Her eyes were glued, connected to his, unable to look away even if she wanted to.

Inky black eyes gazed lovingly at her, filled with so much tenderness that she was afraid her heart would leap out of her chest and into the hands of these man where it truly belonged.

"And?"

Deidara's voice was miles away, and so were Hidan's curses.

Right now, she was lost in his eyes.

Itachi suddenly smiled.

It was a sad and broken expression. Just like the one he wore when he had first opened himself up to her, bared his soul to her.

He spoke, his words were coated in such raw emotion and vulnerability that she was impressed that he was doing this, in front of his comrades.

"I love Sakura Haruno."

The medic-nin's lips parted in shock, her green eyes wide as her heart skipped a beat.

"Truth or Lie?"

Just as he finished speaking, a loud sound pierced the air, followed by clouds and clouds of smoke.

She turned, only to see the door was gone. Only the wooden frame was left, parts of it charred and smoking.

And right there, with a chidori burning brightly in his hand, was the last person she expected and wanted to see.

"Miss me brother?"

* * *

Ta-da! hope you like it :) SORRY it took so very long to update. I'll update on the 6th, since the 5th is my birthday (turning 16!) I plan to spend my friday with my family. Anyways, thanks for all the readers and reviewers that have stayed with this story even though its author hardly updates. I love you all and hope you help me get to 900! :) - VZ


	42. P e r f e c t i o n

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

**AND A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A SPECIAL REVIEWER OUT THERE! :D** (sorry if it's not long. I forgot to save it and I had to re-write everything on the top of my head just now. So sorry :( and sorry for not updating last saturday. Anyways, enjoy!) - VZ

* * *

Sasuke knew that he had grown stronger the past few years, carrying the Uchiha name was a heavy burden that he had to carry since the day he was born into this world. And with that great and powerful clan title, came the responsibility to uphold the perfect image of skill, strength and to never show weakness.

Not that he had any.

He knew that he had achieved all of these values.

Even as a child, he had weapons strapped to his body, scrolls within reach and blades hidden everywhere.

Simply put, nothing can surprise, shock and or scare him.

He was prepared for any and all possible situations in the near future.

But of course _she_ had to prove him wrong in the oddest and most enticing way imaginable.

'Odd' was the first word to come to mind because the unbelievable sight of three Akatsuki members unclothed (Including his older brother who looked comfortable and unaffected as ever, damn him)

Sasuke grudgingly admitted that 'enticing' was the perfect word to describe the body of his former teammate.

Smooth, creamy and…perfect.

Even the scars looked good to him.

It was real evidence that she was not the weak, helpless little girl he left behind at the cold worn out bench.

Although, as much as her naked form tempted him, her eyes were the features he admired best.

They spat emerald fire, burning him from the inside out, exciting him with just one look.

The youngest Uchiha watched as she flushed, in anger or embarrassment he didn't care or know.

All he did know was how captivating the mere sight of her flesh was to him.

The only woman in the room glared at him, her toned body exposed to his hungry, hate-filled gaze.

Suddenly, he saw movement in the corner of his eye.

Glancing to the side, he saw a blonde Akatsuki member grit his teeth while the other one glared and muttered crude words under his breath, both appearing angry and quite frankly…pissed.

Well, it's not like he cared.

They would be dead soon, dying and begging for mercy from him at his feet.

"Miss me brother?" he asked, expecting even the slightest bit of recognition coming from his only other relative.

Unfortunately, when Sasuke had looked at his older brother, he had no emotion on his pale face. None whatsoever.

It irritated the hell out of him.

But before he could use his chidori to burn a hole right through him, a thought made itself known in his dark and corrupted head.

Suddenly, quicker than lightning, he had disappeared from his spot by the charred door.

Only to return a second later, with a pink haired medic struggling in his hold.

"What the hell yeah?!" The blonde yelled, obviously upset.

He raised a dark brow at the weakness (emotion) the Akatsuki member was blatantly showing.

"Get your fucking hands of my babe or I'll slice you damn head off before you can even cry like the pussy you are." The silver haired man growled, reminding Sasuke of a starving lion.

The other brow raised as well, proof that he was extremely interested how his weakling of a teammate had gotten the infamous group of Aaktsuki to get so….emotional.

A smirk appeared on his lips, stretching into a feral grin the more he spoke to the girl within the cage of his arms.

Thankfully, She had not used her perfect chakra control to pummel him into the ground (Not that she could) He suspected it was due to the fact they were in a building filled with other innocent (He highly doubted that) people that didn't deserve to be crushed by the piles of cement that Sakura's fists would have broken.

"Sakura…."

She tried to move and scramble away from him however he wouldn't allow that.

And so, Sasuke used one arm to wrap around her waist, holding her back tight against his front. With his other arm, he held the chidori near her face, not enough to hurt her but enough to scare her.

To his astonishment, She remained unflinching, her eyes shining even brighter under the brilliant blue light of his jutsu.

Beautiful.

He licked his lips in anticipation, much like a snake before he would strike his prey.

"Surprisingly, it seems like you've got not only my brother wrapped around your little finger, but the majority of Akatsuki as well." He whispered into her ear, knowing that everyone in the vicinity could hear every single word he had just said.

As he spoke, he made sure to let his lips brush the shell of her ear, the slope of her neck and the curve of her cheek.

And to his utmost satisfaction, his advances had finally gotten a reaction form his older brother.

"Leave now brother, unless you want to die today."

Itachi's voice was cold, harsh and cruel.

Just like how an Uchiha should be.

"I don't plan on dying any time soon Itachi, not unless you're rotting in hell for what you've done to the family."

Both pairs of red eyes flashed and narrowed at the mention of their pasts.

"I've done what was necessary."

"You've ruined everything." Sasuke ground out.

It took everything in him not to punch a searing hole through Itachi's body.

No, he would have to control himself.

Keep his anger in check until he had everything in place, until Sakura was his, his to break and torture for the sake of crushing his brother's black heart.

Then soon after, make him watch his loved one die, at the hands of his own blood.

"I've won Itachi." He declared, the chidori in his hand flaring wildly to prove his point.

Sakura dug her nails into his arm, which was holding her to his body.

It was a futile attempt to free herself yet commendable one as well.

He smirked at her.

She glared at him.

"Don't worry brother, I'll make sure she is taken care of."

And just like that, with one last look to the other men in the room; Sasuke vanished, taking Itachi's only chance at happiness with him.

* * *

Naruto made it to the room where Sakura was most likely held in.

He knew this because of the grilled doorframe and the sorry excuse of a door in pieces, scattered everywhere.

The blonde stepped into the room, a curious expression on his face.

"What the-"

He didn't get to finish.

Black had enveloped him like a warm blanket on a cold night.

The last thing he saw was a pair of eyes.

Red, angry and filled with tears.

* * *

Sakura really hated this.

Getting dragged away dramatically to Kami-knows-where was irritating beyond belief.

Once again, she tried struggling, only to be stopped by Sasuke, with that damned smirk on his face.

"Care to share why the hell you're so happy?!"

He merely rolled his eyes and continued to run at the speed of light.

Okay, yelling at the enemy might not have been the smartest thing to do.

However she really couldn't find it in herself to give a shit right now.

**Well, well….look who's cursing like a certain Jashinist. ** Inner smirked, waggling her eyebrows, her voice painfully suggestive.

_Why hello there Inner. _She replied dryly.

**Good to see you're acting so polite to me. **

_Better you than the ass carrying me off to….I don't even know where._

**He does have one…fine…ass. **She purred, pretending to claw like a cat.

_You really are a pervert aren't you?_

**Like you're not? **

…_..goodbye._

**Do me a favor? Try to get some action tonight, I'm seriously-**

Sakura immediately shoved her other self into the farthest recesses of her mind and focused on the task at hand.

Which was getting the hell away from her former teammate.

Weirdly enough, he was carrying her bridal style.

His hand locked onto her knees and back, making sure that she would not be able to escape, or move for that matter.

Suddenly, she felt the hands keeping her in place disappear.

"Hey-"

The pinkette had been dropped onto a bed, a really large, soft bed. With gold pillows and an equally gaudy blanket and matching sheets.

A massive chandelier hung above her head, its crystals shimmering in the gold, black and white room.

Her green eyes immediately take in the setting. Which was a huge room that was fully furnished with gold and black ornaments. From her perch on the mattress, she could spot the dining table (the doors were open) laden with food of all kinds.

Confusion filled her then.

Just where was she?

Where had that damned Uchiha taken her?

"Sasuke?" She asked tentatively, furrowing her eyebrows and pursing her lips in thought.

"I can finally see why my brother likes you so much."

Her heart sped up at the sound of the deep and velvety voice of the youngest Uchiha, in fear or excitement? She had no idea.

Sakura's eyes followed the dark figure walking towards her, his stride confident and leisurely.

She really hated how graceful each movement he or Itachi made.

They made it look so regal and precise. It just seemed so effortless. However she knew that there was power in those actions and movements.

"Or should I say…love?"

Her heart skipped a beat, reminded of the confession Itachi had made earlier.

It was sweet, endearing and...might be a lie.

They were playing a game after all.

The mattress dipped under his weight as he made himself comfortable.

Even going as far as to go to the center of the bed and lean his upper body on the headboard, linking his fingers beneath his head.

The simplest way to describe how he appeared in this moment was self-assured, strong and calm.

"I like you like this."

Her eyes snapped up to meet his, green clashing with red.

Sakura was baffled for a while, until she finally realized that he had been staring at her body, which was still exposed to him.

Her hands instantly shot up to cover her body, even grabbing a handful of the blanket under her to shield herself from his gaze.

"This is where you belong, beneath me." He went on, his eyes never leaving her form.

Now that she noticed it, she was still sprawled on the bed, below his body, clutching to the sheets as if her life depended on it.

Anger sparked at his words.

"I do not be-"

"You do." He interrupted her, so she tried again, only harsher, angrier.

"I don't Sas-"

"Yes…you do."

"Listen here-"

"I do not take orders from dirt."

"That's it!"  
The pinkette didn't care if she was practically naked or that he was smiling like the Cheshire cat.

What really mattered to her right now was the frustration that she needed to pour out and the indignation she felt towards the dark haired man lounging on the bed.

"I have no idea why the hell you're doing this. Or why you brought me here. But I do know that you are acting like an absolute ass which I do not appreciate and will not, under any circumstances, tolerate!"

As she ranted, the heat in Sasuke's eyes grew, unbeknownst to the raging woman on the bed.

"You have a lot of nerve just showing up like that. And saying things that make you more of a bastard than you already are."

On pure impulse, she made her way over to him and used both her hands to grasp his short collar and to lift him off the bed (with chakra of course)

Looking him straight in the eye, she growled out more threats.

No, good little girls shouldn't curse or bully. However she really couldn't care less right now. Not when she had just been brutally insulted.

"And if you ever grab me or call me dirt again, I'll make sure you won't be able to revive your clan."

Sakura glared harder and used his shirt to pull him higher and bang his body on the wall.

Sadly, he didn't look the slightest bit upset or angry. If anything, he looked…amused.

Oh hell no.

Threats weren't supposed to be funny.

**Hit him harder.** Inner urged, appearing out of nowhere.

_Didn't I just tell you to leave?_

**No, you pushed me. Rather rudely if I might add. **

She rolled her eyes at her other self.

**Anyways, go on. I can't wait to see you kick his ass.**

_Wait….I thought you liked that ass?_

Inner sighed and spoke slowly, as if she was speaking to a child.

**I do. But no one is calling us dirt. **

Sakura inwardly nodded and cracked her knuckles.

_I'm going to make him regret every bad word he said._

Her other self gave a thumbs up, encouraging her to hurt him in the most violent way possible.

**Go ahead. Make me proud. **

For once, it felt like they were both on the same page.

_Sorry it's not the kind of action you wanted. _

At this, Inner shook her head.

**Nah, this is waaaay better.**

* * *

Itachi sighed, more than tired with the night's events.

He had put the kyuubi container to sleep with a light yet effective genjutsu while simultaneously freeing Deidara and Hidan from the genjutsu his younger brother had put them under.

Unfortunately, Sasuke had made it quite difficult and complex.

However, he would be able to overcome it soon.

Especially since he planned to teach his little brother a lesson with the help of the other Akatsuki members.

_Nobody_ took what was his.

* * *

BOOOM

"Oh Kami forgive me." Sakura mumbled, feeling bad for whoever had to clean the mess she was leaving behind.

She had just punched a rather sizable hole through the wall where Sasuke's head had been a minute ago.

The pinkette pulled her fist out, which was now covered in dust and powder.

"Missed me." A voice whispered into her ear.

Using her arm to swipe the air, She tried to aim for him, only to get caught by his hand.

"Let go Uchiha."

He smirked, pulling her closer.

"Never."

Her heart stopped-

"Not until I use you to break my brother…"

-only to palpitate so loud she was afraid he would hear.

"….and that rock inside him that he calls a heart."

Her eyes widened at his close proximity.

The dark haired man's eyes held something in them.

Hurt…

Anger…

Pain…

Suffering….

...curiosity?

"Sakura."

The way he caressed the syllables of her name with that sinful voice of his made her breathe in deeply in hopes of keeping her head clear and her mind sharp.

"You're actually useful to me after all."

And Sasuke, the cold and cruel man did the most insane thing imaginable, He crashed his lips to hers, thoroughly scaring and exciting the living shit out of her.

* * *

Ta-da! Don't hate me for not updating so soon and for the short chapter :( well, lots of love and thanks for those who still continue to read and review this story of mine. I love you all, and you guys rock! - VZ


	43. S w e e t - S u r r e n d e r

Thank you so much for sticking by this story even though I failed to update it :( You guys rock and I hope this story will make it to a 1000 (hehe I'm so greedy :D) - VZ

* * *

A young couple was busy having a dinner in one of the penthouse suites when the oddest thing happened.

A man had just flown through the air, only to land a few yards away, dust clouding around him and the shocked couple.

"Serves you right, bastard." A voice growled, sounding almost animalistic.

Their eyes suddenly darted to the wall, or where it should have been, surprise evident on their features.

Matching looks of disbelief was pasted on their faces as they watched with wide eyes, the pink haired woman in nothing but her underwear, stride into the room with confident steps.

The woman radiated anger, rage and vengeful intent.

She turned and mouthed a quick 'sorry' to them both before bending down to grab the man's raven hair with one hand, using it to pull the rest of his body back into the other room.

Although it wasn't the peculiar hair color of the female, or the way she was scandalously dressed, that baffled the couple. No, what shocked them beyond belief was the smirk on the dark haired man's lips while his companion had basically dragged him away.

There was even an odd glint in his eyes.

It was devilish, twisted and definitely amused.

As if he was enjoying every second of it.

* * *

"Is this all you require from me?" A hooded figure murmured, his voice soft and pliant.

"Yes. Leave now." Another figure replied, his tone was rushed and almost breathless, his impatience was rather obvious.

"Tch….wooden pest." The dark man hissed before leaving, disdaining leader for a moment since he had ordered him to cross several miles underground just to give the puppet his tools.

* * *

"Wipe that damn smirk of your face!" Sakura yelled, commanding chakra to her fists and punching yet another hole into the wall.

It took a moment for her to realize that Sasuke had taken her to the penthouse of the hotel she and the rest of Akatsuki were staying in. It relieved her. At least she was still within the distance of…

Of what?

Of her family?

Her home?

What were they to her?

The members of the infamous organization had been kind to her. Yet she had no clue on what to do next. For a brief moment, she was glad that the youngest Uchiha had intervened. This way, she wouldn't have to deal with answering Itachi's question. Wait…was it even an inquiry? Or a confession?

Yes, she loathed being near Sasuke. However he had saved her from speaking to the man who had caused so many confusing and conflicting emotions inside her.

Although she also felt ashamed for being grateful to her former crush.

She was just a coward if she couldn't even face Itachi and his beautiful words.

Words she wished were true….

She shook her head in hopes of clearing her mind.

No, she still had no idea what to feel or where her loyalties truly lie. And locking lips with yet another Uchiha was not making things easier.

"Missed me…..again." A voice whispered into her ear.

She ground her teeth in complete and utter frustration.

"Don't you worry, it'll be the last time that I do."

The pinkette cracked her knuckles forebodingly, taking slow but confident steps closer to her former teammate, who was leaning casually on the gold couch.

They were currently in the living room. After destroying what's left of the bedroom, they had been wrestling for dominance.

Although she was starting to think he wasn't even trying to win. All he would do is dodge or evade her blows. However once in a while he would trap her. Against a wall or on top of any hard surface, he would invade her personal space. Push her to her limits and test her boundaries. His eyes would glimmer a vivid red, as the same shade would appear on her cheeks.

And of course, his advances only served to raise her wrath to new heights.

His closeness only intensified the heat burning in her gaze.

And his kisses…only deepened her hate for him.

Especially when Sakura had found out that he was doing all this, to hurt the only family he had left.

Why?

Why would he do that?

Why would he kiss her like that?

As she stepped closer to the conniving snake before her, flashes of her kiss with the dark haired man flickered to life in mind's eye.

It was hot, demanding and intense.

Purely Sasuke.

He paid no mercy, commanding her to give into his will, into his wishes.

Naturally, Sakura refused.

It was a battle between them. Who would quit? Who would be the other's slave?

She'd damn herself into the lowest pits of hell before giving into his imposition.

And so, she pushed. Harder and harder, never letting up.

Even going as far as to bite him when his tongue swept past her defenses and entered the seam of her lips.

His hands gripped her waist, her hips so hard, pulling her into him as if he couldn't get enough.

Sasuke had tried to claim her mouth by paying attention to every detail.

Doing things to her that would make other girl's knees buckle with pure pleasure.

However She was stronger than other girls and there was no way she would succumb to his desire.

He nipped, kissed, and licked her lips. Trying to wear her down, calling to her like how a siren would call to her prey.

But she was no such thing.

She was more than that.

"That's it Sakura, come closer to me….Surrender to me…"

Was it just her, or did his voice get deeper? Huskier?

His gaze darkened and he bit his lower lip sensually, giving him a hungry, almost starved look.

Sakura could only wonder what he was craving for.

Sasuke closed the remaining feet between them in less than a second, using both his hands to wrap around her waist.

She threw him a disgusted look, her voice taking on an edge that was so sharp, even Kisame's sword would appear blunt next to it.

"Never, not again Uchiha."

His hands tightened when she tried to move.

"Too bad….You don't have a choice in the matter."

A pink eyebrow twitched at his arrogance and rude behavior.

Before he could blink, Sakura grabbed his shoulders, using it as leverage to haul him up and throw him away.

Thanks to her chakra induced strength, He had landed on the dining table.

But of course, due to her inhuman power and his added weight, the wood splintered under him. The legs of the table folded and crunched, making a sickening sound that reminded her of bones snapping in two.

Sakura didn't want to give him any time to rest, any air to breathe, so she made the most of her speed and reappeared on top of him, straddling him and pinning both his hands with her own to restrain his movements.

"I'm starting to think you like being on top Sakura." The dark haired man beneath her noted, chuckling darkly at the blush that streaked across her face.

"Shut up! You're in no position to act like the bastard you are."

The pinkette took in ragged breaths, her earlier activities (punching through concrete walls) were starting to take the toll on her body, which was already tired to begin with.

He raised one dark eyebrow before moving upwards, brushing his clothed chest against her own exposed one.

"Doubtful….although I am in the perfect position to do…other things….preferably you."

The blush intensified, and so did her anger.

Sakura rolled her green eyes, digging her nails into his wrists to teach him a lesson.

Unfortunately, it seemed like she hardly did any damage whatsoever. Because he continued speaking, his voice calm and very much amused.

"It's amazing how innocent you are, that's the one thing that hasn't changed from when we were children."

Green eyes glared hatefully at him.

That was it for him.

Sasuke just loved the way her eyes scalded him, burning his very soul.

The anger, the pure fury that he saw in those viridian depths made him want more.

More of what exactly, he wasn't so sure.

Suddenly, Sasuke flipped them over. Once again making her feel like this was just some game to him. That he could just win whenever he wanted but the desire to humor her was much too tempting to resist.

The food on the plates that were once artfully designed were now scattered on the floor. From where she could see, carrots, corn and other vegetables were rolling on the carpet. Wine, spilling from the dark green bottles, was now spreading across the ground's surface, painting it a dark red. Even the sauces and creams now decorated the walls, splashing on some color onto the pale gold.

"Enough Uchiha-"

Sakura didn't even get to finish her sentence because he interrupted her. With that smirk on his face and that twisted glint in his eye.

"I decide when it's over."

And then, to her utmost surprise and embarrassment, he started licking her.

* * *

"Why?"

Pein regarded his partner for a moment, his eyes blank and his expression stoic.

"Curiosity."

The blue haired woman pursed her lips slightly before asking once more.

"What of it? It does not explain why you have sent Zetsu to Sasori."

It was silent in his office for a while.

Konan remained quiet, dutifully waiting for her leader's reply.

Finally, he spoke, his voice guarded and careful.

"Sasori requested for his materials to be delivered to him as soon as possible. And Zetsu is the only one who could accomplish such a task."

She stayed silent, patient for Pein's explanation.

"He used his ring to communicate with me. Something he hardly ever does."

The only female member of Akatsuki nodded, her eyes never leaving his.

"It piqued my interest, how desperate and impatient he sounded. And so, I did what I had to."

Konan watched as the emptiness in his gaze faded away, interest and inquisitiveness taking its place.

"Odd isn't it?"

"What is?"

"How my followers continue to ask for favors from me."

She nodded once more, thinking of how the Uchiha had practically demanded for more time to search for the pink haired medic. Up till now she was confused as to why the emotionless man displayed such passionate emotion.

No, it was not evident on his face or in his voice.

However it was very obvious in his eyes.

Konan could see the fire that burned for the medic.

"Yes, it is rather….odd"

Pein sighed before linking his fingers and settling his chin atop them, a contemplative look on his face.

"Are you disturbed?"

"No….merely curious."

Out of the blue, a light shined in her partner's eyes.

Her eyebrows furrowed in bafflement. Never before had her leader shown this much emotion.

"Careful. You know what they say….Curiosity killed the cat." She said, wondering if somehow, what Itachi felt was contagious, and if Pein had been infected.

It's been a while since she'd ever seen or heard her partner laugh.

But here he was, chuckling softly, darkly.

It was a foreign sound that was unfamiliar to her ears.

Pein glanced at her, his eyes shining with mirth.

"True, however satisfaction brought it back."

* * *

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

Sasuke raised his head, his tongue sliding out to lick off the sauce on his lower lip.

"I think that would be quite obvious." He replied dryly, his fingers no longer wrapped around her wrists, but entwined with her own.

It was an intimate gesture that made her sick to the stomach.

He wasn't supposed to be intimate or gentle with her. He was meant to be cold, cruel and harsh. Everything he was before when they were simply children, aspiring to be top ninjas of their time.

Of course Sasuke wanted more than that.

Sakura tried struggling, wriggling, anything! Anything to get away from the man who tore her heart in two once before, she was not going to let him do it again.

There was absolutely no way she would let him creep back into her good graces only to hurt her more.

Although she tried her hardest to break free from his hold, he didn't budge.

"Stop struggling."

She sputtered at that, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Why wouldn't I struggle?! There's a crazy snake bastard licking tomato sauce off my neck!"

At her hysteria, he smirked.

"You of all people should know how much I love…."

Sasuke leaned closer, brushing the length of her nose with his, red eyes never leaving hers.

For a moment, her heart stopped.

"….tomatoes."

Only to beat harder and faster than before.

"Stop this Uchiha." She ground out, her brows furrowed in anger. An emotion she'd grown used to feeling whenever he was around.

"So sweet..." He murmured, lost in the tangy flavor of tomatoes and Sakura.

"GET OFF ME!" Sakura tried everything to get away from the monster currently holding her down. Yet it was impossible, especially when he was twice her size and double her weight. And the fact that her chakra storages were almost depleted didn't help matters either.

"Be still."

"Like hell I will!"

"You must learn discipline…" Sasuke muttered, his lips under her chin, moving to the side of her neck, breathing the words into the shell of her ear.

"….because I plan to make you mine."

Before Sakura could punch a hole straight through his head for even suggesting such an insane notion, the door a few yards away from them shattered.

Green eyes widened at the sight of Sasori, fully assembled with a livid expression on his usually blank face.

"Get the fuck off her brat."

* * *

Ta-Da! Hope you guys liked it :) And if you guys have time, check out this other AkatsukixSakura story I'm making :) It's titled ' - M e ' Anyways, I love my faithful and wonderful readers and reviewers! Till' next time! - VZ


	44. V e n o m

I do not own Naruto, only the plot! And if there are any grammatical errors, please forgive me. I didn't double check because I wanted to update as soon as possible, enjoy! – VZ

* * *

Sasori always assumed that the day he had traded his mortal life for an eternal one, he had freed himself from emotions.

They were useless and pitiful, making life so much harder than it had to be. There was a reason why ninjas needed to be free from sentiment and sympathy. How could you kill someone when you yourself had a bleeding heart?

Simply put, feelings were bothersome and cause nothing but stress.

He knew from experience.

Losing both his parents had broken him. His attachment to them had made his childish heart split in two, one for each parent who were now both gone from this world.

No, he no longer wanted to feel that pain, that loss.

How many nights did he lay in bed, wishing the arms of his now deceased loved ones would hold him in their protective embrace?

The red head thought he would never get fixed, that his tiny heart would remain broken. However his grandmother had a different plan for him.

That night, a wooden figure crept into his room, courtesy of his only living relative.

Watching that puppet ignited something in him…hope.

After practicing for how long, he was able to create his own puppets, fashioned with the image and likeness of his parents.

For a brief moment, the ache in his chest vanished…only to throb even more painfully when the wooden arms of the puppets fell apart, leaving him feeling unloved, cold and alone.

This was why he decided to exchange his body of flesh for metal joints and wood.

This way….this way he won't ever feel again, won't ever get hurt again, won't ever die like his parents did.

No, he wanted to preserve life! Sasori didn't want to be reminded of death and how time brings each person closer to it.

Life preserved forever was true beauty, genuine art.

This was his philosophy.

At least, it was.

Until all of his beliefs were wiped out just recently by a certain pink haired medic, who had 'killed' him before.

It was only by pure chance that Zetsu had been around to retrieve his last living essence, his core, which was tattooed with the character of scorpion.

Thanks to the plant man's knowledge on toxins and poisons, he was able to save the puppet master, who was now interested on the girl. A girl with ridiculous pink hair, inhuman strength and a fiery personality that could rival the flames of hell itself.

Sasori wanted another encounter with her.

And he got one….with a younger version of herself.

The situation was amusing to say the least. Not to mention, highly interesting.

Simply put, he found her presence curious and fascinating.

After speaking with her as a person, not as her enemy, he found her intelligent.

While he was sparring with her, he saw that she not only had intellect and skill, she knew how to apply it in the battlefield as well.

The moment he felt her soft lips against his, he fell in love.

Some would say it was odd for someone to fall so deeply in love in such a short time. But he found that forever with her would not be enough to satisfy him. Each smile she sent his way, each sharp and toxic word that left her lips, sent him deeper in love.

And when she had not pushed him away when he had kissed her so chastely on the forehead, he felt his heart (or whatever is left of it) soar.

It was common knowledge how impatient he was, but for her?

He'd wait an eternity.

Sasori knew it was love because he didn't see any other woman's face unless it was hers.

He knew because pink and green was suddenly his new favorite colors.

He knew because he would do things for her. An example would be him requesting (demanding) Pein to send Zetsu over to the hotel room where he sat alone and disassembled. From there he waited….waited and waited until the plant man appeared with a new body. A spare he kept back at the base.

It was hell sitting there staring at the painted ceiling with nothing to do but sit there. Half his body gone and the rest were in pieces scattered all around the room. What made things worse was how he could hear his partner, the Uchiha, the Jashinist and Kisame (more of his groaning and snoring) encouraging his sweet baby doll, to a game of strip poker.

Sasori never recalled a time when he had felt so desperate to move before.

His desire to barge in that room, take what was his and leave the other males grinding their teeth in irritation was overpowering.

Yet, he couldn't. How could he, when he couldn't even get off the bed without help?

The red head had sighed and looked at the clay kitten his explosive partner had made for the pinkette.

An odd feeling welled up inside his left chest, spreading throughout his wooden torso.

His hazel eyes narrowed, recognizing the emotion as jealousy. Something he had started feeling whenever his doll was involved.

That is why he took the opportunity to look for her the moment he could.

Was it cruel to ignore his fellow Akatsuki members so that he could search for her?

Yes, yes it was.

Maybe just as cruel when they all decided to leave him alone in that lonely hotel room with no one for company but the feline.

The puppet master sped through the hallways like a mad man, thoroughly scaring several couples and maids in the establishment.

The scene he had walked in on….(simply put)….pissed him off.

Especially the Uchiha brat licking her neck, like a lover instead of an enemy.

"Get the fuck off her brat." He growled, his wooden fingers curling as he commanded chakra strings to form, fully intent on crushing the boy's skull and injecting his body with so much poison that his great clan will feel its sting.

Just as he was about to open up a scroll and retrieve his puppets, the brat turned his head towards him, a smirk on his lips.

Hazel eyes narrowed in confusion and irritation.

The boy was cockier than Hidan and his older brother put together.

That was reason enough to kill him.

"Sasori."

His gaze immediately latched onto the flushed woman beneath the Uchiha, relief evident on her features.

The was her eyes lighted up as she murmured his name made something…flutter inside him.

Hm…..

He would dwell on this strange yet pleasant feeling later on, after he smear the walls with something other than food, something darker….redder.

"Come to rescue Itachi's whore, puppet?"

Sasori grinded his teeth and forgot about the scrolls. No, he planned to teach him a lesson with his own hands.

The satisfaction of hearing his bones crunch under his palm would be much better than having his wooden creations do it for him.

"You've got two things wrong, _boy _." He made sure to emphasize the word, making Sasuke see that not only was he outmatched, but heavily outclassed. He was older and much wiser than him. True, he was gifted (cursed) with the famous Uchiha bloodline technique. However, Sasori just knew he would win.

He knew this by looking at the pinkette.

The boy was here to make his older brother's life difficult. He on the other hand, was fighting for something….Sakura's heart.

"One, Sakura is no whore."

A soft smile appeared on her lips as he spoke, his gaze on her.

"Two…"

He allowed his gaze to soften and his voice to become tender, as if he was speaking to her instead of the foolish boy.

"….She does not belong to Itachi."

Sasuke rolled his blood red eyes and scoffed.

"Oh really? Then why-"

Sasori intervened, his voice calm but strong.

The smallest of smirks made itself known on his lips when he spoke once more.

"How could she? She is my doll of course."

And with that, he striked. Quick and deadly, accurate and precise, much like the scorpion that he was named after.

* * *

"What the hell Uchiha?!" Deidara yelled, clearly vexed that he had been awakened from his rather pleasant dream.

Itachi merely ignored him and went over to Hidan. After doing so, his hands formed several hand signs and his eyes glowed an eerie but familiar shade of red.

"I will explain later. For now, we must leave." The man replied stoically. Although, the blonde could hear an underlying tone of anger, maybe even pain?

….No….

It was impossible.

However, he wasn't so sure anymore. Not when a particular medic-nin with beautiful green eyes and a fiery personality was involved. And Deidara was sure that she was the reason why the Uchiha was so upset.

Speaking of her….

Where did that damned Uchiha brat take her?

He was just about to ask when Itachi caught his eye.

For a moment, they both shared the same thought.

_Save Sakura._

His blue eye scanned the area for trouble, finding none he relaxed. Although, he tensed up again after glancing at the floor, where the Kyuubi container was busy having a nap, snoring like a baby.

"You have got to be kidding me." He muttered, running his hand through his mussed up hair.

After all this searching and planning to even get close to the demon container….

Was now put to waste. The boy was right here, vulnerable.

Just as he was about to celebrate their stroke of luck, Itachi interrupted him.

"No…we must not tell leader about this." He gestured to the blonde boy laying on the ground.

He raised an eyebrow in confusion, the look on his face screamed 'Why?'

The Uchiha sighed and tsked.

"How do you think my blossom (he chose to ignore that) would feel if we brought back her teammate to the base?"

Realization dawned on his features after hearing what his fellow Akatsuki member had to say.

"She'd hate us." He muttered, his voice sullen and his eye less bright.

"Obviously."

Deidara glared.

He just stood there….looking so regal and in control.

It really ticked him off.

But before he could say so, Hidan opened his big mouth and started cussing up a storm in less than a second.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS THE BRAT?! I'M GOING TO SHOVE MY SCYTHE SO FAR UP HIS SCRAWNY ASS THAT HE WILL FUCKING CHOKE-"

"Enough."

The silver haired nin took in deep and ragged breaths, clearly pissed.

He turned his head towards the calm man slowly, his eyes narrowed.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE TELL ME WHEN ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! YOUR BASTARD BROTHER JUST TOOK MY BABE! YOUR BLOSSOM, WHICH IS A SISSY AS FUCK NAME, BLONDIE'S SAKURA-CHAN, WHICH I CALLED HER FIRST. (Deidara clenched his fists) GO AHEAD AND POUT YOU SHIT HEAD! (He sucked in the lower lip that was in fact, making him pout) AND KISAME'S FREAKING ANGEL! I'LL CRACK HIS SKULL WITH MY BARE-FUCKING-FINGERS!"

It was silent after Hidan's rant, until another, younger blonde broke the quiet with his snores.

"Perfect….I can take out some of my fucking anger out on this pussy." With that, he skillfully turned his scythe using only one hand, a blood thirsty expression on his face.

"Hidan."

Itachi was now the cold, emotionless man like before. A far cry from the human being who was busy confessing his love for his Sakura-chan just moments before.

"DON'T-"

The dark haired man spoke one word, effectively stopping the Jashinist from taking another step, making another move and saying another word.

"Sakura."

And just like that, Hidan relaxed.

Well, if you call cursing and kicking a nearby chair in frustration calm.

"What about Kisame?" Deidara wondered aloud as the trio made their way to the door.

"Clearing the mind from genjutsu is within my field of expertise…..Purging the human body from alcohol is not."

Just as the remaining Akatsuki members were about to leave the vicinity, a voice stopped them.

"Sakura-chan….hmmm" The demon container groaned.

…

"I'm killing him." Hidan said casually, slicing the air with his blood red weapon.

"Hn….."

"Hidan…" Both Itachi and Deidara warned. They didn't have time for this, not when Sakura's life was on the line.

"Tch….fine you fuckers."

They took a few more steps before another groan got their attention.

"Panties…Black panties…smells good…."

Three pairs of eyes widened.

"Sakura-chan….you…hm….smells amazing…."

Sharing a look, they all turned towards the boy, killing intent rolling each one of them in threatening waves.

"Now can I kill him? Seriously."

Itachi looked conflicted.

"..ghnmm….yummy…"

The bomber watched as the confliction rapidly turned into aggravation.

"Hn…I get the first strike."

The mouths on hi palms gritted their teeth.

"Not before I make his insides explode."

Deidara was wrong, they did have time to teach this boy a lesson he won't soon forget.

* * *

I apologize for taking so long to update :( however, I'm already working on the next chappie to make up for my lack of updates :) I LOVE you all for sticking with this story and helping me get to 1000 reviews! It's so impossible but you guys, my readers and reviewers made it happen. You guys inspire me to write this :) Till' next time ;) - VZ


	45. K a r m a

Forgive me for the late update and bad grammar. I was just too excited and posted it immediately! enjoy! - VZ

* * *

Itachi, Deidara and Hidan quickly ran up the flights of stairs and searched for Sakura's chakra signature. Although, a sight had caught their attention, making it quite evident where their blossom was.

At the end of the hall was a door, or at least, what's left of it.

It seemed like it was reduced to nothing more than chunks of wood and splinters.

They all assumed with matching smirks (a twitch of the lips for the cold Uchiha) it was the pink haired medic and her monstrous strength, attempting to free herself from the youngest Uchiha.

The trio vanished at once, all reappearing inside the huge room. Where they expected to find Sasuke and Sakura in some epic battle for her freedom and him for….whatever the hell he wanted.

Oh Kami were they wrong.

"Holy Fuck!"

The last thing they expected to find was their blossom, holding the black hair of an unconscious Sasuke in a steely grip, with her foot on Sasori's chest, pinning him to the floor.

It seemed like she hadn't noticed them yet since she was yelling something to the red head, who looked rather….pleased with the events.

"What the hell Sasori?! I thought you came here to rescue me, not mouth rape me!"

The three men at the door shared a look of anger after hearing her words.

"I did rescue you….I just wanted to taste you again doll."

The anger transformed into fury at the endearment the puppet master had just used. Not to mention his words, which made all their eyes glow green with jealousy.

Her face flushed in embarrassment, her eyes widening at his blatant statement.

"W-well you can't Sasori." She muttered, her teeth nibbling on her lower lip.

The other Akatsuki members present

"Why not?"

His hazel eyes were filled with genuine curiosity, making her tummy flood with butterflies.

"It' obvious why not." She said, her voice exasperated.

"Care to enlighten me?"

If her pale cheeks were red before, they were absolutely flaming by now.

"I-i…you….kiss….what?!"

"Sakura-chan."

The pinkette glanced at the door where she saw three Akatsuki members watching her intently.

Surprised, her hand released the head of hair as she took in the sight of the three men before her.

Relief, Awe and a tiny bit of anger were evident on all their faces.

"Itachi, Dei, Hidan."

A smile appeared on her lips, which made four hearts beat rapidly, madly for her.

"What happened here yeah?" The blonde wondered aloud, making his way towards her.

"None of your business." His partner muttered, his eyes never leaving Sakura's.

"Tch….the fuck?! Cut the crap puppet boy, Seriously!"

Itachi suddenly vanished, only to reappear next to the pink haired medic, thoroughly invading her personal space.

"Let's go love."

The unexpected movement shocked her and made Sakura stumble away from the Uchiha. Who stared at her in confusion, not that he'd show it of course.

"Y-yeah….I'll meet you downstairs."

"Where are you off to yeah?" Deidara furrowed his eyebrows, really baffled with the whole situation.

"I'm going to get my stuff and maybe help Kisame. Kami knows he would have one hell of a hangover if I don't." She went one, taking slow but measured steps to the door.

"Fuck that! We'll do all that-"

"I also have to put something on Hidan…"

The silver haired nin scoffed and skillfully wielded his scythe.

"You look fucking hot and we all know that."

Without replying to Hidan, Sakura fled, unable to face the Uchiha.

It would be quite odd but considering the encounter she had with Sasuke…she needed some space away from Itachi.

Space to think and to sort out her feelings.

When Sasori had arrived, it made her heart skip a beat and her stomach do somersaults.

Never before had she been so utterly glad to see the red head.

Sure, she was still intrigued how he had assembled his body however her curiosity could wait.

Right now all she wanted to do was pull the wooden man in a bone-crushing embrace.

And when he pushed Sasuke's body off of her form, she almost let out a carefree laugh.

Once again, an Akatsuki member came to her rescue.

True, the pinkette would prefer teaching the bastard a lesson herself, yet she was thrilled to see Sasori.

Those hazel eyes gazed at her with so much warmth that she knew he couldn't be the heartless monster she had once fought so long ago.

It was frightening, the way he had handled her former teammate.

Sakura heard bones being crushed and saw blood being spilt.

Sasori was merciless, grasping the boy's jaw in a tight vice like grip. He had been so brutal, punching…..kicking….killing the boy she once knew.

Despite his barbaric demeanor, the pink haired medic wasn't scared.

If anything, she was at peace.

Why?

For one thing, Sasuke was too damn stubborn and proud to die like this, without putting an end to his only living relative. So she wasn't worried for his safety.

And, she knew that the red head wouldn't kill him.

If he did, she'd be upset.

No, not because she loved him.

It was because he had unfinished business with Naruto.

As much as she wanted to see Sasuke burn in the pits of hell for putting everyone who loved him through so much pain….she couldn't.

Her stupid, compassionate heart wouldn't allow that.

And so, the fight between the Uchiha and the Akatsuki member went on.

At some point, Sasuke escaped his opponent's grasp. Only to appear behind her, holding her in a tight grip in an intimate position.

…..

This position seemed oddly familiar….

"Let me go Sasuke!" Sakura squirmed within the cage of his arms, which only tightened around her body, making the air in her lungs escape through her mouth in one breath.

A sword, silver and sharp, appeared under her chin.

She tilted her face upwards immediately, having no desire to be decapitated so early in her life.

Her green eyes quickly snapped to a pair of hazel, which were glaring daggers at the man holding her captive.

"So pathetic!" The man behind her growled menacingly, the sound sending chills down her spine.

"Don't you see? She is a nothing."

The puppet master clenched his jaw, his eyes locked onto hers.

To Sakura's surprise, he was no longer glaring.

Instead, he was looking at her so tenderly that she almost forgot her precarious position with the Uchiha behind her.

"Lie. She is everything."

Inner promptly had a nosebleed at his fervent declaration while outer Sakura blushed heavily.

"Sasori…"

Kami, she really did want to say more than his name like a useless damsel in distress.

But how could she?

Never before had the pinkette encountered men vying for her attention, treating her so wonderfully.

It was unknown territory for her.

Suddenly, a flash of pain brought her back into reality.

She looked down and saw the tip of his blade, scraping her cheek.

In spite of the pain, Sakura showed no emotion, merely kept in her gasps and whimpers as he dug the sword deeper into her skin.

As if Sasori could sense her discomfort, he spoke. His voice was tender and soft, much like the man he was under the shell he used to protect himself from others.

"Shhh….it's alright baby doll."

It was like Sasuke wasn't even in the vicinity. The way he whispered so lovingly to her made her feel like it was the two of them alone.

"I'll be there and that bastard will regret ever touching you.."

A tiny chuckle left her lips at his casual way of threatening the Uchiha.

"You're insane."

The way she spoke wasn't in an insulting manner. If anything she was elated. For some reason, she wasn't really concerned with her captor. Her voice was tender and just….happy.

"And you're beautiful."

Their conversation sounded much like the one they had sparring in the underground base of Akatsuki before. Although the situation was very different and so did the way she felt about him.

"Shut up!" Sasuke yelled, his red eyes blazing with fury.

He was offended by the girl within his arms and the man standing ominously before him.

They acted as if he, an Uchiha, wasn't even present.

The dark haired man tsked and gripped his weapon tighter.

And when he spoke, he did with anger and spite, feelings he had an abundance of.

"The moment you let her into that pitiful excuse of a heart of yours, is the moment you're dead." Sasuke snarled, his fingers digging so deep into her skin that she was sure there would be bruises in her skin the next morning….if she survived tonight.

"Foolish boy."

Sasori shook his head slowly; the air around him suddenly turned heavy and tense.

"The moment I let her in my heart…"

The red head used one hand to unzip his Akatsuki cloak, only to reveal his chest.

A wooden hand placed itself over his left chest where his core was.

"…was when it belonged to her, making me feel more alive than I have in decades."

The wooden appendage dropped, giving Sakura and Sasuke a clear view of his heart.

A gasp escaped her slightly parted lips.

Instead of the character for scorpion, the character for Sakura was imprinted on his core, his last living essence.

It was beautifully written in vivid green ink.

The sight made her heart palpitate madly in her chest.

"Oh Kami…." The pinkette murmured, unable to believe the man in front of her.

It was silent for a long time. Or at least, it felt like forever for her.

That is, until the quiet was interrupted by the youngest Uchiha, who was busy laughing like a maniac behind her.

His laughter sounded hysterical and dark, thoroughly creeping her out.

"Sakura is right!"

Insert evil maniacal chuckles here.

"What the hell are you talking about Sasuke?" She growled, her arms almost trembling from the effort she put into escaping her captor.

"He is insane! He and the rest of Akatsuki are crazy! Most feared group of missing-nin my ass."

Pink brows rose at that while a scoff was heard from the red head.

"All of you are weaklings! Falling for a pathetic piece of trash? This would be almost comical if it wasn't so tragic."

Sasori took his opportunity to end this battle by using one hand, bringing it behind his back. Where it would not be seen by his foolish enemy. The wood parted at a hidden seam from his palm and out came a tiny needle. So slim and miniscule, it couldn't be seen with the naked eye. Sadly, the unique bloodline of the Uchiha's made it easier for him to see the needle tipped with poison and avoid it. However Sasori had a feeling the boy would be too focused on his speech, it would be too late before he noticed the toxins flowing through his veins.

"Although, I can see why you all chose her."

Sasuke turned his attention to Sakura, rubbing the length of his nose on her neck, right under her short pink tresses.

Although the sight irked him, it gave him the chance to put an end to this fight.

"Stop it you bastard!" The pink haired medic snarled, her green eyes sparking with anger.

The Uchiha's eyes snapped to his own hazel ones as he pressed his forehead against his doll's temple.

"No. Touching you obviously hurts them." He replied, his voice husky and deep.

She turned her head to the side so that she could stare right into those evil, crimson depths.

"You're sick."

Sasuke merely smirked at her before speaking again. Although he wasn't addressing her. Instead, he directed his attention to the red head in the vicinity.

"You all love her."

The statement was more like an accusation instead of a question.

"Unfortunately." The puppet master replied, upset that he had so much competition for his doll's compassionate and fierce heart.

To Sasori's great dismay, Sasuke started leaving a trail of lingering kisses on her cheek, moving lower to her jawline then her swan like neck.

He noticed that although the position he held Sakura in was threatening (her being held captive with bothe her arms pinned to her sides thanks to Sasuke's one strong arm and his other held a steel blade over her throat) it was also intimate. Which made him more than angry.

The artist watched with angry eyes as the boy even licked the blood that dripped from her cheek, a wound that he had inflicted on her just moments ago.

It was disgusting.

The intimate way he traced the thin ribbon of red that flowed down her creamy skin with his tongue.

He had a very good feeling that the boy was doing this to spite him, to hurt him since he knew that he valued Sakura safety over his own.

"Do you hear that Sakura? He, my brother, everyone in Akatsuki actually feel something for you."

Sasuke's voice was cruel and harsh as he whispered so intimately in her ear.

"Let me go you-"

"No."

As the pair argued, Sasori moved closer, the needle in his hand dripping with a violet substance. Thick and potent, it was his deadliest venom yet.

"All I wanted was to hurt my brother by killing you…because watching someone you love hurts a thousand times more than you yourself suffering."

At this, Sakura spoke, her voice soft but hard.

"You would know a lot about that Sasuke. Watching your family being slaughtered-"

Red eyes hardened immediately. If she wasn't so damn stubborn, she would have flinched away from him.

"By him! He deserves to die and rot in the lowest pits of hell for what he did to my family!" He said roughly, using his sword to make another gash on her shoulder.

She hissed at the fresh wound marring her creamy skin.

"He isn't as bad as you think!"

Green eyes looked deep into bloody red mingled with black.

She saw so much pain and anguish….so much sadness….

"You're a fool if you believe that Sakura. He is a murderer."

"Then call me a fool because I know someone who can love can't kill without good reason. And why didn't he kill you? Did you ever think of that?" She questioned, realizing that pushing his buttons wasn't the smartest thing to do right now but who the hell cares? She certainly didn't.

"I don't need to explain myself to you."

Sakura huffed and bit her lower lip, lest curses would leave her mouth faster than Naruto being able to eat Ramen, making a particular Jashin worshiper proud.

A beat of silence passed between them before he broke it once more.

"Why would you defend him?" He asked, sounding genuinely curious.

…..

Why did she defend him?

…..

Sakura felt a wave of emotion wash over her in that moment.

Feelings of anger, shock, and embarrassment filled her body. Every sentiment and emotion she felt concerning the older Uchiha filled her with each memory she had with him.

When he had walked into her room (cell)

When he had shared sweets with her…..saved her from dozens of exploding tags….attacked (ravished) her with iced tea dripping from her fingertips….watched her so heatedly…..saved her once more from Sasuke…..confessed such deep affections for her…..entice and anger her at the same time…..the way he was so irritatingly graceful and regal…..the way he just…was.

Unbeknownst to the pinkette, as she relived her experiences with Itachi in her head, his younger brother was watching each emotion flicker across her face, including the blush that streaked across her cheeks.

The frown marring his face transformed into a malicious grin.

"Oh I see…"

Those fiery green eyes instantly met with his red ones.

Hers full of emotion and his devoid of any.

"You love him."

Sakura's breath caught in her throat, which made his grin stretch even wider.

"This makes things even more interesting!"

Just before Sasuke could utter another word, Sasori moved, his hand grabbing the sword (he was made out of reinforced wood, so he wouldn't get hurt) and pulling it away from his beloved doll.

The same moment he used his other hand to grasp the boy's neck. But before he could, a pale but strong hand stopped him from doing so.

"Do you think I'm a fool? I can see everything you pathetic-"

With a lazy smirk, he watched the needle launch itself from his palm, heading straight for the Uchiha's neck, where it embedded itself in his skin.

"Arrogance is a fool's trait. Remember that, boy."

* * *

"So…..you fucking kissed her? Right after poisoning the brat?" Hidan asked, his purplish eyes curious.

Sasori simply nodded.

"Is he dead?" The blonde crouched next to the unmoving body and watched for any signs of movement.

"He should be…However after battling with him, I can tell he is quite stubborn. I doubt he'll allow himself to die so easily." The red head muttered before standing up and dusting himself off.

"Hold it! How did you get your fucking body back?"

"Zetsu travels fast."

Deidara, Hidan and Itachi nodded, satisfied with his answer.

It was silent for a while before the blonde spoke, breaking the quiet with his voice. Which sounded rather….uneasy and worried.

"Sakura is going back to the room?"

"Are you going deaf now blondie? Seriously!"

"Then…wouldn't she see what we did to the Kyuubi container?"

Hidan rolled his eyes at the dumb question.

"Hell yes!"

…..

"Oh shit." He muttered, almost dropping his weapon at the realization.

"My thoughts exactly." Itachi sighed, shaking his head.

Sasori was lost so he asked what did they do to the boy.

"We taught him a lesson yeah."

"Who the fuck cares! My bitch better be glad that we didn't kill him."

The conversation went on as the remaining members of Akatsuki left the area.

Although, Itachi stayed behind, his red eyes watched his brother's shaky breaths and his keen ears heard his weak pulse.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Sasuke spoke.

Well, more like whispered angrily since the poison flowing through his blood stream made it difficult for him to talk.

"She is a weakness." He hissed through clenched teeth, Sasori's venom was painful, burning him from the inside out.

Itachi looked down at his younger brother, whose eyes were red and filled with so much darkness and pain. However, for once, it did not reflect his own.

"No. She is not a weakness, She is my strength."

With that, he left, leaving Sasuke to suffer alone. Which was exactly what he had been craving for all these years, to be left alone.

It was everything he wanted.

It's what he wanted since he battled Naruto after obtaining the curse mark willingly.

He pushed away his friends, the elders in the village, his sensei and those stupid perverted books of his...

Then…why did he feel so…pathetic?

* * *

Hoped you liked it :) Once again, I'd like to thank my wonderful and amazing readers and reviewers who helped me get to a thousand reviews and stayed with this story even though I hardly update :) I love you all! - VZ


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